Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 2nd, 2015 4:03PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Deep Persistent Slabs.

Lisa Paulson, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Skiff of new snow and a bunch of wind - the skiing is not that great unless you find a wind sheltered location.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A fairly benign weather forecast for the weekend: expect light flurries or the weekend, maybe another 5 cm in total and possibly a little more on the West side of the divide.Â The temperatures will dip to highs of -14C.Â Fortunately the winds will become light through the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

70-110 cm of snowpack exists across the region. The main weakness is at the base of the snowpack, where facets and depth hoar produce inconsistent test results 15 cm above the ground.Â The Dec 18 layer of SH found further west is not prominent here. In the alpine, thin small windslabs can be found isolated terrain features.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported today. On Dec 31, a thin size 1 windslab was triggered by a group on Quartz ridge near Sunshine Ski Area.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

The overall structure of the snowpack remains weak and not very confidence inspiring. Big features and steep terrain at treeline and above are still suspect and should be approached with caution.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 3rd, 2015 4:00PM