Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 22nd, 2020 5:21PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Wet.
Conrad Janzen,
Parks Canada
New snow, wind and warmer temperatures will elevate the avalanche danger on Monday. Narrow gullies and steep rocky terrain may have small natural avalanches. Step back to more moderate terrain choices until the new snow has a chance to bond.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Snow is expected Sunday night and Monday with total amounts ranging from 10-15 cm depending on the elevation. Winds will increase into the moderate to strong range out of the SW on Monday before dropping down to light again on Tuesday. Freezing levels stay just above valley bottom and some areas could see rain at lower elevations on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Widespread wind effect in the alpine and down into treeline. Sun crusts on solar aspects and buried sun crusts on steep solar aspects. In most areas of the Little Yoho region a deep snowpack exists with few weaknesses, though thin areas still have a weak facetted base.
Avalanche Summary
Several solar triggered small loose avalanches observed in the past several days and some skier triggered surface sluffing in steep terrain up to size 1.5.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Incoming snow and moderate to strong SW winds Monday will create fresh wind slabs in lee areas at treeline and above. These will be possible to trigger by skiers. Avoid wind loaded areas in steep terrain.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Sluffs will be easy to trigger in steep terrain that is sheltered from the wind
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Incoming precipitation and rising freezing levels on Monday may result in rain at lower elevations around Field. If this occurs wet loose avalanches will be a concern on low elevation ice climbs in this area.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Below Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 23rd, 2020 4:00PM
