Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 26th, 2014 4:00PM

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

Grant Statham, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Sunshine and cool temps are making for good travel conditions. Good skiing can be found on sheltered North aspects. Stay alert to the potential for triggering the basal weaknesses in thin snowpack areas! CJ

Summary

Weather Forecast

Generally sunny conditions with alpine temperatures between -15 and -7'CÂ and light NW-W winds for Monday and Tuesday.Â Wednesday is forecast to have some light precipitation in the forecast.

Snowpack Summary

A few cm of new snow overnight over the Jan 25th surface hoar and sun crust layer which sits on a supportive mid pack. In thicker snowpack areas the basal facets are gaining strength and no significant shears have been found. In thinner snowpack areas the basal facets are still quite weak and producing moderate sudden collapse results in tests.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed in the past several days. Cooler temperatures are minimizing the solar triggered sluffing. The potential still exists for full depth avalanches on the basal facets in specific terrain features.

Confidence

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

In thin snow areas the basal facets are still very weak and producing sudden collapse results in snowpack tests with the potential for large avalanches. Probe often for this weakness near the ground and stick to planar well supported ski slopes.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 27th, 2014 4:00PM