Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 6th, 2019 4:20PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
jesse milner,
Parks Canada
Good skiing to be had at treeline right now. Watch for building slabs during the storm.
Summary
Weather Forecast
The weather system is coming to an end soon.
Saturday: Flurries with up to 10cm. Light SW winds and temps ranging from -5 to -15.
Sunday: Temps drop with the switching to a northerly flow with a mix of sun and cloud.
Monday: Mix of sun and clouds with temps from -5 to -10 and light northerly ridge winds.
Details here: Mountain Weather Forecast.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 40cm of recent snow in the Columbia Icefields area fell on to a mix of surfaces; surface facets, surface hoar, and previous wind slab and/or hard wind pressed surfaces. The moderate winds built soft wind slabs at ridge tops. Oct. and Nov. crusts are preserved in the mid and lower snowpack are breaking down with faceting.
Avalanche Summary
Limited visibility in the field today but we suspect some natural activity from the storm. Previous avalanche control work in the Parker Ridge area produced little results, only 2 soft size 2 wind slabs were triggered from 15 explosive shots. On our drive back to town we had decent visibility and observed no new natural avalanches.
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Saturday
Problems
Wind Slabs
New soft windslabs have formed in the lee areas from the storm that just pushed through. The distribution at treeline is more isolated.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.
- Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline. Recent storm snow has formed wind slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Snow pit tests showed sudden results on this interface in a wind protected north aspect at treeline down 50cm. We suspect with more load that this interface could wake up.
Aspects: North, North East, North West.
Elevations: Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 7th, 2019 4:00PM
