Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 22nd, 2012 4:08PM

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

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Another system Friday afternoon bringing wind and some snow will bump up the hazard, depending on it's intensity. Lot's of snow available for transport, expect slab development and naturals to occur tomorrow afternoon.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Friday afternoon another system bringing moderate SW wind and snow forecast range from 5-20 cm. This will bump up the hazard tomorrow. Clearer weather Saturday and cooler temps to follow Sat night.

Snowpack Summary

30-50 cm of storm snow at tree-line along the continental divide. Very little wind effect as of yet... Easy-moderate shears at storm snow interface and mod shears down 60 cm on Nov 6 crust.

Avalanche Summary

In a flight from Banff to Kootenay, only a few size 1-2 soft slabs were noted, 20-60 cm thick and not propagating far. They released late in yesterdays storm. There was one notable full depth release on glacial ice on Monarch pk, NE aspect, 2800 m.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Lots of snow available for transport. Expect slab development with system arriving tomorrow afternoon. Depending on intensity of snow transport and amount of new snow, the hazard will climb to CONSIDERABLE & possibly HIGH for Friday late afternoon.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Avoid areas with overhead hazard.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

Another full depth release observed on the glacier on Monarch pk (near Sunshine), NE aspect, 2800 m, size 2. With more loading, we may see this layer become more active elsewhere in the region.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Nov 23rd, 2012 4:00PM