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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 11th, 2021–Nov 12th, 2021

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Strong wind and flurries expected Friday. Climbers consider the potential for spindrift and pockets of wind slab between pitches in route selection. Still rugged for riding, hopefully it will change after the storm this weekend!

Weather Forecast

A weak frontal system will pass Friday bringing up to 10 cm with strong SW wind and relatively warm temperatures (-5C range) with a slight inversion for the day.  The main event to watch is the storm predicted to arrive Sunday lasting through to Tuesday where 60-80 cm may fall. Stay tuned... the weather models vary with timing and intensity.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30cm of snow over the last 5 days in the alpine, sitting over a melt freeze crust that may be present to ~2500 m. Below the crust is 10-30cm of facetted snow. We expect 60-70cm of snow in the alpine. Windslabs 20-50 cm thick, isolated to immediate lees, reported at higher elevations. Below threshold for avalanches at treeline and below.,

Avalanche Summary

We have very limited observations - thank you for the MIN reports! Lake Louise ski patrol has triggered windslabs avalanches up to size 1.5, on average 40 cm deep running on the ground. At Bow Summit on Wednesday there was a third hand report of someone going for a ride in a small windlslab.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.