Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 21st, 2013 5:01PM

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

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Pay attention to local winds there is a lot of snow available for transport. We expect fresh wind slab development overnight and tomorrow morning and may see some avalanche activity associated with wind loading. (LP)

Summary

Weather Forecast

Overnight moderate to strong NW winds are forecasted for the region.Â Winds should taper andÂ temperatures will rise through the day on Friday.Â By the weekend, alpine temperatures will be near -3C, with light winds and a mix of sun and cloud.

Snowpack Summary

Thirty to 50 cm of low density storm snow was received earlier in the week.Â Sunshine has reported lots of reactive wind and storm slabs while north of Lake Louise wind effect notÂ been as wide-spread. The mid pack is slowly gaining a bit of strength. The Oct rain crust persists at ground level in some alpine terrain.

Avalanche Summary

A couple of new observations from Observation Peak where two size 2 avalanches were reported in cross-loaded gully features, SE/SW aspects.Â Bow Summit had a size 3 reported click here for the photo.Â For a video of the size 3 explosive triggered slide in Delerium Dive yesterday click here (thanks to Sunshine Snowsafety team). It was on NE aspect.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

Storm Slabs

This layer was less active today, but there is still little confidence in this interface in the Sunshine area. Aside from the one observation in the Bow Summit area, it seems have become less active elsewhere.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

Moderate to strong NW winds are forecasted for the region overnight which will add to the wind slab condition in the alpine. We may see an increase in avalanche activity associated with wind loading. Winds should taper through the day.

Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline. Recent storm snow has formed touchy slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Nov 22nd, 2013 4:00PM