Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 11th, 2013 3:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

Alberta Parks mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Many avalanche accidents happen soon after a storm when the clear weather arrives .  It will take a few days for the storm snow to settle and strengthen so use caution and good judgement.  Keep a close eye on winds, lots of snow for transport.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

A high in the northern part of the province will continue to push cool arctic air into the region on Saturday.  Skies are forecast to remain clear with light to moderate NW winds.  Find a sunny slope to ski on and youll be happier...

Avalanche Summary

Control work on Friday on the EEOR produced 3sz 2 avalanches and 1 sz 1 avalanche.  These were all within the storm snow and widthe were 30-100m wide.  Control wonk on friday was also done in the Buller Mountain area.  In this zone we had 2 sz 2 avalanches and 1 sz 1.  All within the storm snow.Natural avalanche activity was noticeably decreased today but there is evidence of a recent avalanche cycle over the past 2 days with avalanches up to size 3.

Snowpack Summary

Cold temps have tightened up the upper snowpack and we have seen some settlement of the storm snow over the past 24hrs.  Easy sheers persist down 30-60cm on the storm snow interface which is surface hoar at lower elevations (below treeline) and a combination of surface hoar and facets at treeline and above.  Avalanche control on Friday on the EEOR slide paths as well as the Buller Corner slide paths produced 4 sz 2 avalanches that ran quite far and fast with significant entrainment of the upper storm snow layers.  Propagations were not that wide, but towards the end of the day, westerly winds were increasing and we can expect storm and windslabs in the upper snowpack to become more cohesive.  We did not have any avalanches step down to the 1106CR.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
Storm snow continues to settle and get more cohesive with the winds at upper elevations.  Sheers persist within the storm snow and at the 0106 interface down 60cm.  Conservative terrain is the place to be over the next few days.
Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.>Choose well supported terrain without convexities.>Avoid open slopes and convex rolls at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

3 - 5

Valid until: Jan 12th, 2013 2:00PM