Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 11th, 2019 5:05PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
william lawson,
Parks Canada
There's still a lot of snow available for transport. An increase in wind values will like result in further avalanche activity.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Flurries will continue till the end of the week amounting to10cm of snow by Friday. I slight increase in wind values at alpine elevations is expected Thursday but will quickly dissipate by early Friday. Generale steady temperatures around -7 are forecasted till Friday.
Snowpack Summary
Moderate winds in the alpine are adding to the wind slabs problem. Beneath the recent 40-60 cm of storm snow, the snowpack structure is generally weak, consisting of facets and depth hoar. The Nov crust is present up to 2500m and ~30 cm up from ground. Snowpack depths at treeline range from 80-160 cm.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanche activity has tapered form earlier this week. Avalanche control continues to produce wind slab avalanches up to size 2.5. There's still a lot of snow available for transport, any increase in wind values will likely result in further avalanche activity.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent snow and wind have formed wind slab in many open areas at treeline and in the alpine. Human triggering of this slab remains possible or even likely in some terrain, though natural avalanche activity has slowed down.
- Caution on open steep slopes at treeline that have been exposed to wind loading.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created slabs over weaker snow.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
The recent snow sits over weak facet and crust layers. Numerous natural and explosive triggered avalanches up to size 3 have been observed on these weak lower layers in the past several days.
- Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 12th, 2019 4:00PM
