Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Nov 12th, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
Grant Statham,
Strong winds at ridge tops today have drifted the recent new snow into soft slabs that can be easily triggered. These are not large slabs, but they are sensitive to triggering and will be a problem for anyone in or above a terrain trap.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Expect the moderate to strong alpine winds to continue until late in the day on Friday, with 5-10 cm of snow expected on Friday and temperatures remaining cool, near -10. This weather patterns looks set to persist through the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
Moderate to strong SW winds from have drifted the surface snow into soft, small but easily triggered windslabs in alpine areas. These slabs sit on the Nov. 5th rain crust which exists up to 2400m north of Lake Louise and higher in the Sunshine area. This crust is 5-10 cm thick and ~20 cm above the ground. At treeline the snowpack is 30-60 cm deep
Avalanche Summary
Thin size 1 windslabs reported by the avalanche control teams at both Sunshine and Lake Louise today. These have been relatively small avalanches but have run surprisingly far because they are on such a firm crust.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Fresh, easily triggered windslab exist in all leeward and gully areas in higher elevation terrain. These are small avalanches, but they will run fast and far and could be a problem for ice climbers in confined gullies at high elevations.
- Be careful around wind loaded areas near ridge crests, cross loaded gullies and roll-overs.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Nov 13th, 2020 4:00PM
