Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 10th, 2018 5:00PM

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

Lisa Paulson, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Watch for new windslab development from overnight SW wind. Surface failures and wind loading may be enough to start to trigger the Dec 15 layer lower down.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Another cold day Thursday (-15 to -20), with moderate to strong SW winds forecasted for Wednesday night. Winds will taper through the day Thursday, but pick up again Friday as the high pressure ridge moves in over area bringing warmer temperatures for the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

25-40cm of snow sits over the Dec 15 layer which consists of surface hoar, sun crust, or facets depending on location. Easy to mod shears found on this layer. Below this the snowpack is heavily faceted with remnants of older crust's still lingering throughout, but no significant shears found in the lower pack. Some isolated windslabs near ridgetop.

Avalanche Summary

A few loose snow avalanches were observed today. Surface snow showed no sign of slab characteristics today in the Sunshine and Louise areas in previously worked terrain, but we expect this to change overnight with the forecasted wind.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Recent snow will be moved around by the SW winds and forming fresh wind slabs in the alpine. These slabs & loading may be enough to overload Dec 15 interface which is showing easy to moderate shears. but the balance has not yet tipped...

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 11th, 2018 4:00PM