Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Jan 25 – 26, 2013Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

New snow West of the divide has freshened up the skiing.  Previous winds have scoured winward slopes down to bare rock in many areas.SH

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2
    Soft wind slabs up to 30cm thick have formed mainly along and W of the divide. Expect to find these near ridge top which may not bond well in the short term to hard slabs below.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Hard slabs are possible to trigger from thinner snowpack areas on facets in steeper terrain.  These have been mainly unreactive in the last 48 hours but are still a concern.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity today except for sloughing out of climbing terrain.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations on Thursday

Weather Forecast

Another 5cm by Friday afternoon with mainly mod-strong alpine West winds.  Alpine temperatures should stay in the -10C range for Friday.

Snowpack Summary

Lake Ohara region today, 15-20cm in last 24 hrs with mod-strong ridge winds creating soft wind slabs in exposed features.  2450m ~170cm on Opabin glacier.  Most new along and W of divide.  Variable hard slabs from previous strong winds now mainly buried.  In thinner snowpack areas and below treeline midpack facetted and weake.

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