Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 2nd, 2018 4:00PM

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

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

The main concerns right now are small buried wind slabs and sluffing in steep terrain. We have removed the persistent slab problem because of a lack of activity on this layer, but the structural weakness remains and the problem may show up again.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A few more cm's of new snow with light NE winds. Moderately cool temperatures are forecast. Bring spring please.

Snowpack Summary

Buried wind slabs exist in most open areas at higher elevations, with loose surface facets at lower elevations. Mid pack surface hoar is rounding and inactive in tests. Deep facet layers are weak but are presently difficult to propagate.

Avalanche Summary

Small explosive triggered wind slabs were reported at local ski areas Thursday, with the debris entraining surface facets. Surface sluffing was also reported in steep treeline areas in Kootenay. We have not seen any avalanche activity on the persistent layers for about ten days and have removed this as a problem but the structural weakness remains.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Buried wind slabs exist in lee areas in the alpine. While they may not be very thick or particularly touchy, they certainly have the potential to carry you into an undesirable location (cliffs/terrain traps) if triggered in steep terrain.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.Watch hollow sounds on unsupported windslabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 3rd, 2018 4:00PM