Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Nov 23 – 24, 2012Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

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

Another system Friday afternoon bringing wind and some snow will bump up the hazard, depending on it's intensity.  Lot's of snow available for transport, expect slab development and naturals to occur tomorrow afternoon.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Lots of snow available for transport.  Expect slab development with system arriving tomorrow afternoon.  Depending on intensity of snow transport and amount of new snow, the hazard will climb to CONSIDERABLE & possibly HIGH for Friday late afternoon.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Another full depth release observed on the glacier on Monarch pk (near Sunshine), NE aspect, 2800 m, size 2.  With more loading, we may see this layer  become more active elsewhere in the region.

Weather Forecast

Friday afternoon another system bringing moderate SW wind and snow forecast range from 5-20 cm. This will bump up the hazard tomorrow. Clearer weather Saturday and cooler temps to follow Sat night.

Snowpack Summary

30-50 cm of storm snow at tree-line along the continental divide.  Very little wind effect as of yet...  Easy-moderate shears at storm snow interface and mod shears down 60 cm on Nov 6 crust.

Avalanche Summary

In a flight from Banff to Kootenay, only a few size 1-2 soft slabs were noted, 20-60 cm thick and not propagating far. They released late in yesterdays storm.  There was one notable full depth release on glacial ice on Monarch pk, NE aspect,  2800 m.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Regions covered