Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 20th, 2014 4:00PM

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

Grant Statham, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Today was a beautiful day in the mountains; clear and calm. Tuesday promises to be the same. Another 5-10 cm storm for Wednesday with rising freezing levels - ice climbers heading for Field on Wednesday should make sure it's not raining!

Summary

Weather Forecast

Expect a mix of sun and clouds on Tuesday with highs of -2. On Wednesday, winds shift to the north again and a minor system will pass through the area depositing 5-10cm of snow. Freezing levels will rise to1900 m that day, so that means possible rain at lower elevations.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is slowly starting to heal. Observations today on the west side of the Divide (Yoho Park) showed a strong, 150 cm snowpack at treeline with no shears. Eastern areas continue to have a shallow, weak and unpredictable snowpack, but the peak of instability from last week's cycle is past. The snow is very wind effected in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed in the last 48-hours.

Confidence

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

The weak and unpredictable snowpack persists in the Lake Louise area and eastern side of the forecast region, where all steep terrain remains suspect. This problem is much less prominent west of the Divide, where the snowpack is deeper and stronger.

Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Wind Slabs

Areas at treeline and higher elevations have been blasted by the winds. This has created wind crust on the surface, and windslab avalanche problems in steep, windloaded areas.

Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind slabs on slopes below.Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 21st, 2014 4:00PM