Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Dec 25 – 26, 2013Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Some of you must have been naughty, as we've gotten facets instead of stellars so far... Happy Holidays and lets hope for snow in the New Year!

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Wind slabs may exist in some areas of wind loading at higher elevations. While these avalanches may be initially small, once started they have the potential to trigger a larger, deep slab.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Overall the snowpack is very weak, and full depth avalanches are likely to be human triggered in specific areas. There is no quick fix to this problem, and it will likely stick with us for the foreseeable future.

Weather Forecast

A surface high just off the coast is keeping any major systems away. Generally, we will see alpine temps in the -5 to -10 range, with some light snow on Thursday and Friday. Alpine winds will be moderate to strong from the W/SW.  Valley winds will be light.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of new snow in the W tapers to nothing in the E.  A variety of surface weaknesses including widespread windslabs in the ALP and surface hoar at TL and BTL sit on a generally weak snowpack. The real concern is the facet/depth hoar/crust combo at the base of the snowpack which been triggered by light loads recently and can't be trusted.

Avalanche Summary

A size 2.5 was observed yesterday on a N aspect of Mt. Fairview. It was initiated as a wind-induced spindrift avalanche which pulled out a slab that failed near the ground. This is indicative of the widespread basal weakness present in the snowpack.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Regions covered