Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Mar 2 – 3, 2012Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

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

Not much has changed in the last 24 hours; light winds, a skiff of snow. This will change come the weekend. We may get up to 20cm of snow accompanied by west winds. This should wake up the nasty Valentine layer and we expect a natural cycle Saturday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Moderate winds this week have also created thin, but stiffer wind slab conditions 25-35 cm deep on ridgetop lee terrain. These have been seen to step down to the Valentine layer.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Snow depths over the Valentines surface hoar and suncrust on steep solar aspects range from 20cm E of the Divide, to 45+cm at Sunshine and Yoho. Yesterday a large slide off the top of Fairview failed across the entire bowl on this layer. Impressive!

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Recent trips east of the Divide have found a shallow, weak snowpack. Tests done showed sudden collapse results on the basal facets. It is still possible to trigger the entire slope from shallow, thinly covered areas.

Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Avalanche Summary

Confidence

Regions covered