Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 9th, 2016 4:38PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet and Wind Slabs.

aaron beardmore, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Warm temps will be back tomorrow. Pay attention to freezing levels. Hold the course and continue to make conservative terrain choices.

Summary

Weather Forecast

The freezing level is expected to rise to 1900m again tomorrow. Increasing cloudiness toward the end of the day. Alpine wind is expected to increase to roughly 50km an hour to ward the end of the day well.

Snowpack Summary

A 50-100 cm slab now overlies the January 6 weak layer of surface hoar, facets and sun crust and snowpack tests indicate an unstable bond between the two. Extreme warming and sunshine promoted rapid settlement and an avalanche cycle.

Avalanche Summary

Highway avalanche control conducted by Visitor Safety on the Sunshine road 93S produced several avalanches up to size 2.5. Typically, the avalanches were 40cm deep, 50m wide and 300m long. Evidence of a small natural cycle up to size 2.5 that was induced by temperatures up to 7 degrees in the alpine today as well.

Confidence

Problems

Persistent Slabs

These large avalanches have potentially significant consequences. Warm temperature coinciding with steep and shallow ares are a combination to avoid tomorrow.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Loose Wet

With freezing levels rising to 1900m tomorrow the possibility of loose wet avalanches still exists. These could potentially occur on steep south facing rocky terrain.

Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Wind Slabs

Windslabs still exist in the alpine on lee features to widespread wind affect from the weekend.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 10th, 2016 4:00PM