Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Nov 19th, 2015 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
stephen holeczi,
Avalanche Canada
Great ski conditions and a supportive snowpack, considering its November. Watch for fresh wind slabs which can still be triggered at higher elevations. SH
Summary
Weather Forecast
Friday will see alpine temperatures in the -15 to 18C range with light N to NW winds and little snow. The weekend will warm up with a slight temperature inversion, although it will stay below freezing. Winds will shift to the West and will increase to moderate.
Snowpack Summary
Essentially 2 major snowfall events in the past week has created the snowpack. The latest one from Tues threw down 50cm low density snow in the area. A profile in Little Yoho today at 2200m found a 120cm, well settled snowpack with 30cm settled powder on top. Some high alpine areas may have a facetted base, formed in the late fall.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche observations today. Avalanche control in Yoho yesterday produced either sloughing, or wind slabs to size 2.5 in high alpine terrain and benched cliffs. One slide on Stephen near 3000m stepped 2 meters deep near the ground. The vast amount of avalanches were 40-80cm deep. There was a surprising lack of activity in the area.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs have formed in exposed areas, but we have limited "on the ground" observations from upper elevations. Some new wind slabs may be sitting over facets formed in the late fall, but these are likely isolated in nature in the high alpine.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Nov 20th, 2015 4:00PM
