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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 12th, 2021–Nov 13th, 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.

With a warm blustery storm Friday, we are now starting to see small slab avalanches reported into treeline. As another storm arrives Saturday night expect avalanche hazard to rise rapidly.

Weather Forecast

Expect winds to shift NW overnight Friday as temperatures fall to -5C at 2000m. Light snowfall is expected to continue Saturday morning. A second system looks to arrive Saturday night with up to 20cm expected through the day Sunday and up to 50 by Tuesday. Expect freezing levels to approach 2000m and Westerly winds to approach 60 kph in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

Mod- Strong SW winds brought 2-5cm of snow Friday with rain below 1800m. Previously 20-30cm of recent snow had been deposited on a thin melt-freeze crust thought to exist as high as 2500m. Below this crust is 10-30cm of facetted snow that sits on 5-10cm of melt-freeze crystals at or near the ground. 30-50cm of snow at treeline, more into the alpine

Avalanche Summary

We have very limited observations - thank you for the MIN reports! Over the last few days, Lake Louise and Sunshine have reported triggering windslab avalanches up to size 1.5, on average 40 cm deep running on the ground. A few more small slabs were reported into treeline elevations with rapid loading Friday.

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.