Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Feb 14 – 15, 2013Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Winds still seem to be honking in the high alpine. With up to 30cm of new snow west of the Divide, the new windslabs in the alpine will be touchy to human-triggering.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Moderate to strong W winds accompanied 10-30cm of new snow. This has created new windslabs in alpine and open tree-line lee features. Expect these slabs to be touchy for the next day or two.

Weather Forecast

A ridge of high pressure should bring mainly clear skies for the morning, with increasing clouds later in the day. Winds will drop to light from the west. No new snow is forecasted for the region until possibly Friday evening. Temp's will be near seasonal values in the alpine (-10*C).

Snowpack Summary

Strong westerly winds in the last 12 hours have formed fresh windslabs in alpine lee terrain. We received 10-15cm up the Icefields Parkway, but closer to 25-30cm west of the Divide in Little Yoho Valley. Where shallow the mid-pack is weak and facetted. West of the divide the mid-pack remains strong due to a deeper snowpack. 

Avalanche Summary

Several size 1.5 loose avalanches were observed from steeper alpine features in the Little Yoho Valley. No recent avalanches observed up the Icefields Parkway, but large plumes of wind-transported snow observed off ridge crests.

Confidence

Regions covered