Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 21st, 2019 4:10PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
Adam Greenberg,
Parks Canada
Sunday afternoon will bring an end to the storm, but continued overnight wind and snowfall will keep the hazard elevated until freezing levels descend and the snowpack has had time to adjust to the load.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Weather models are conflicted on snowfall amounts for Saturday night with amounts between 8 to 20cm expected. Strong winds will continue overnight with a lull on Sunday where we may even see some sun. Freezing level is expected to remain around 1700m descending to valley bottom by Monday night.
Snowpack Summary
60cm+ of wet snow and rain in the Cameron Lake area has arrived with extreme northwest winds and a freezing level around 1900m, continuing to load the snowpack. A weak crust facet combo formed in November is down 60cm, and additional crust/facet layers formed in October form the bottom of the snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
A widespread natural cycle was observed on Saturday along the Red Rock and Akamina parkways, with avalanches to size 2 in the storm snow and some larger ones failing on deep persistent weak layers
Confidence
Problems
Storm Slabs
Continued snowfall accompanied by 120km/h southwest winds has formed touchy slabs
- Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
- If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Recent Rain, snow and warm temperatures has begun to overload melt freeze crusts and facets from early season snowfalls causing large avalanches.
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 24th, 2019 4:00PM
