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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 11th, 2020–Mar 12th, 2020
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Great skiing can be found through the forecast region.  Keep the avalanche problems in mind while traveling in the backcountry.

Weather Forecast

Mix of sun and cloud Thursday with temperatures near 0 degrees at valley bottom. Winds will remain in the light to moderate range at upper elevations.  A cooling trend will start this weekend as temperatures are forecasted to drop near -25 on Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

10-15cm of snow Wednesday night has been transported by moderate winds at upper elevations creating wind slabs on immediate lee slopes. On steep solar a thin crust has formed on the surface. We continue to monitor the deep, weak facetted snow in the shallower areas of the park.

Avalanche Summary

Direct observation of a natural size 3 cornice release from the postcard face on Cascade mountain. The avalanche ran 1700m to the top of the run out zone. I was difficult to tell if it pulled a slab, though it did entrain a lot of mass in the track.

Confidence

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

It is possible to trigger a windslab in the immediate lee side of ridge crests, but unlikely these slabs will release naturally. Reports from today suggest the windslabs disappear once off the ridges and down onto more sheltered terrain below.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

This problem is the sleeping giant who remains asleep right now until a significant change wakes the giant up again. Avalanches are most likely in areas with a thin snowpack (<130cm) where the basal facets and depth hoar are the weakest.

  • Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could trigger the deep persistent slab.
  • Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 2 - 3.5