Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Feb 25 – 26, 2014Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The Feb 10th layer is persistent and remains a significant concern in the snowpack. Enjoy the great ski conditions but stick to moderate terrain and don't let the clear skies lure you into bigger lines until the conditions improve. CJ

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Recent winds have left isolated wind slabs in lee alpine terrain. If triggered these wind slabs could step down to the Feb 10th storm snow interface resulting in large avalanches.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    The natural cycle is over but the Feb 10th interface down 25-60 cm is still producing easy to moderate results, with lots of whumphing and some recent skier triggered avalanches. Stick to moderate angled, well supported terrain until things improve.

Weather Forecast

Alpine temperatures down to -15'C tonight then warming to -8'C Tuesday. A warming trend is expected for Wednesday and Thursday with alpine temperatures between -10'C and 0'C. Continued clear skies, light Northerly winds and no new precipitation is expected for the next three days.

Snowpack Summary

25-60cm of recent storm snow is sitting over the Feb10th layer of facets, sun crust and surface hoar. Field tests continue to show an easy to moderate sudden collapse at this interface. Some isolated wind slabs are present in the alpine. If triggered these wind slabs could step down to the Feb 10th interface.

Avalanche Summary

The natural avalanche cycle has subsided but skier triggered slabs remain likely. A skier triggered (Class 1) from yesterday was observed at treeline on the exit out of Purple Bowl in the Lake Louise area. We have also had other skier triggered, skier remote, and natural avalanches up to Class 2 in the last 72 hours on the Feb 10th interface.

Confidence

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