Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Nov 23rd, 2021 4:00PM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeIan Jackson,
We haven't done a field trip to Little Yoho yet this year, but a report from the Emerald Lake Slide Path sounded like the Nov. 15th rain crust is near the surface and exists to ~ 17-1800m elevation in this area.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Winds will increase to moderate to strong from the W / SW on Wednesday with only a few cm's of new snow forecasted. On Thursday and Friday, we should see anywhere from 5-20 cm of new snow with strong SW winds. Temperatures will stay cool until Friday when freezing levels are forecast to rise to ~ 1700m.
Snowpack Summary
5-15 cm of fresh snow Monday overnight sits on a variety of surfaces: a rain crust below ~2000m , a sun crust on steep solar aspects, windslabs in the alpine and exposed treeline areas and settled snow everywhere else. Melt/freeze crusts and/or facets lurk at the bottom of the snowpack. Snowpack depths at tree-line average 60-110 cm
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed on a field trip in the Dolomite Shoulder area on Tuesday or reported to us by local ski hills.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Buried windslabs exist in the alpine and down into some tree-line locations, and increasing winds on Wednesday will build new ones in alpine and treeline terrain that is exposed to the wind.
- Watch for surface cracking and stiffer surface layers of snow. Avoid wind loaded terrain.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
Avalanches failing on this layer are tapering off, however, forecasters are still receiving occasional reports of them occurring. The latest reports are not larger than size 2, but uncertainty surrounding this problem still exists.
- Be wary of slopes that did not previously avalanche.
- Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Nov 24th, 2021 4:00PM