Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 13th, 2012 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

5-10cm is forecast tonight, then clearing. The widespread surface hoar/ facet layer on all aspects, and sun crust on solar aspects will start to get buried. Power sloughing in big gully or steep terrain will be an issue if the snow happens. SH

Summary

Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Avalanche Summary

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Thin snowpack areas on gully sidewalls and unsupported slopes will be most vulnerable to triggering any wind slabs. Today in Yoho, we found no wind slabs in steeper ski terrain, but some isolated slabs have been reported on the Wapta and on Hwy.93N.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Cornices

Strong winds from earlier in the month have created large cornices on lee (mostly easterly) aspects. Several large cornice collapses have been observed over the past week. These cornices could be a big enough to trigger a deep slab.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Feb 14th, 2012 4:00PM