Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 1st, 2013 8:08AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs.
catherine brown,
Parks Canada
It is a good day to make conservative terrain choices. Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run outs.
Summary
Weather Forecast
The park will be effected by high pressure for the next three days. Temperature will rise over this period and light amounts of precipitation are possible. Freezing levels are forecast to rise to 1300 m today dropping to the surface tonight and 2000 m on Saturday. A northwesterly flow continues with ridge top winds in the light, NW range.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 55 cm of settled storm snow has accumulated since Jan 26 near the west boundary of the park. The amounts are less moving east through the park. Heavy warmer, wind effected snow lies over colder, lower density snow. Recent strong S winds have loaded northerly lee features at treeline and in the alpine.
Avalanche Summary
We observed one natural avalanche, sz. 2.5 running to end path along the highway corridor yesterday. Artillery control produced several avalanches running far with large dust component west of the summit. For all of these observation visibility was poor. A small natural avalanche cycle was triggered by strong winds on the 30th.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
Storm Slabs
Skier triggerable slabs exist throughout the park. Recent strong southerly winds have loaded northerly aspects. Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridges where the wind has deposited firm snow. Watch for shooting cracks as a sign of soft slabs.
Ride slopes one at a time and spot for your partners from safe locations.Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong inicators of unstable snowpack.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 2nd, 2013 8:00AM
