Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Dec 28 – 29, 2018Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Although the snowpack continues to stabilize, the Deep Persistent Slab Problem has a significant amount of uncertainty. Deep snowpack areas to the west have a stronger snowpack (eg: Pulpit, Little Yoho). Conditions will deteriorate on Saturday.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3
    This problem dominates the central and eastern part of the forecast region and will continue to do so for some time. Natural activity on this layer has decreased but human triggered avalanches on this layer are still possible.

Weather Forecast

One more day of high pressure with a light Northwest flow brings mostly sunny skies for Friday with temperatures remaining cool (-10 to -20), but this changes on Saturday as an intense 1-day system will cross the area and deposits 10-20 cm of snow with extreme winds in the forecast (>100 km/hr).

Snowpack Summary

The majority of the BYK region is a 40-50cm slab of stiff snow overlying 40-50cm of weak facets and depth hoar. This nasty combination has been stabilizing over the past few days but continues to produce whumphing and easy test results. Deeper snowpack areas are stronger, but have a 60-80cm slab over top of the Dec10 surface hoar/facet layer.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported in the Banff, Yoho and Kootenay region on Thursday.

Confidence

Regions covered