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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 12th, 2014–Mar 13th, 2014
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be considerable
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Natural activity has slowed down, but human triggering remains likely. Give the snowpack some time to heal. SH

Weather Forecast

West winds will be light gusting strong on Thursday with no snow expected.  Alpine temperatures will stay below freezing throughout the day.  There should be a fair amount of sun throughout the forecast region.

Snowpack Summary

85-100cm of storm snow has fallen in the Sunshine, Kootenay and Yoho areas, with 40-60cm around Lake Louise and Bow Summit since Mar 2nd. This storm snow has overloaded the Feb 10th layer of facets, surface hoar and sun crust, and in thinner snowpack areas, the deeper basal facet layer, causing large, destructive avalanches with wide propagations.

Avalanche Summary

Some solar activity up to size 2 in the Mount Field area today. We have seen a large natural avalanche cycle up to size 3.5 over the past week, with wide propagations on many different aspects and elevations. Also, skier triggered avalanches including remote triggered slides to size 3 have been occurring frequently in the past few days.

Confidence

Avalanche Problems

Persistent Slabs

Natural activity has slowed down on this layer, but we have seen large avalanches over the past few days with the new storm snow overloading the Feb.10th interface. In some cases we have seen this step down to the basal facets in thin snowpack areas.
Avoid areas with overhead hazard.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Likely

Expected Size: 2 - 3

Wind Slabs

Mod to strong Westerly winds will be stiffening the snow surface and transporting snow to lee aspects. These will be sensitive to human triggering for the next few days.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Loose Wet

Watch locally for daytime warming in steep, solar features.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 2 - 2