Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 19th, 2013–Nov 20th, 2013

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Little Yoho.

Lots of snow is available for transport. Tricky conditions at higher elevations will exist until the snow has time to settle and bond to the layers below. SH 

Weather Forecast

It should dip below -20C tonight and alpine winds will shift to N/NW up to 65kmh for Wed. Thursday and Friday should only produce trace amounts of snow with slightly warmer temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

15-30cm over the last 24 hours, starting as dense snow which became lighter as temps cooled. Up to 50cm settled storm snow over the last few days. Many areas reporting less accumulation in the alpine. Moderate winds SW to NW creating wind slabs 20-50cm thick in the alpine, The basal Oct. crust can still be found on polar aspects in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche work at Sunshine produced avalanches to size 2 on many different aspects, one of which stepped down to the Oct. crust in a previously uncontrolled alpine area. Less snow reported at Lake Louise, and less activity seen. Limited visibility, but some naturals were observed to size 2.5 on Pilot Mtn. during a clearing.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations on Tuesday

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.