Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 27th, 2017 4:00PM

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

grant statham, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

The cold snap continues - although today was an improvement to -15 in some areas! The snowpack is generally quite stable owing to the cold air, and if you can manage the temperatures, the avalanche conditions are favorable. Dress as warm as you can!

Summary

Weather Forecast

A few more days of cold air, but hang in there as change is on the way. Light snow on Thursday with temperatures ranging from -20 to -25 (hope for -15 mid day, in the sun). Winds at ridge crests will remain moderate from the NW. Temperatures will start to moderate over the weekend, and by 2018 we should see temperatures get warmer than -10,

Snowpack Summary

The upper snow-pack is facetting with the cold temperatures and starting to sluff easily in steep terrain. Some thin, hard wind slabs observed in lee areas in the alpine. The Dec.15 layer of surface hoar (below 2100m) and hard surfaces or facets (depending on location) is down 15-30 cm. Some moderate shears have been observed around this interface.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control at Sunshine Village resulted in thin windslabs near rocks and cliffs, but running far down the path because of the unconsolidated facets.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Reports of small windslabs continue to come from the ski resorts teams - isolated to near rocky areas. These have been small but running a fair way down the path.

Watch for areas of hard wind slab in steep alpine features.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

The cold temperatures are facetting the surface snow and allowing loose dry avalanches to run further than expected in steep terrain. Manage your sluffs if skiing steep terrain and heads up for big spindrift if climbing in gullies.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1

Valid until: Dec 28th, 2017 4:00PM