Avalanche forecast

Little Yoho

Feb 8 – 9, 2023Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable

Highlights

Areas near Bow Summit on 93N have already received 20cm of new storm snow. More snow is expected overnight into Wednesday. The danger rating is going to HIGH. Avoid avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Small amounts of new snow with more snow Tuesday night combined with South Westerly wind will form fresh windslabs in lee areas. Wind slab depth will be highly variable on Wednesday due to different snow fall amounts overnight.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Low density snow (20+cm) has fallen near bow summit on Tuesday. More snow is expected Tuesday night. Small loose dry avalanches are to be expected until the storm has a chance to settle.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    The lower snowpack consists of weak facets and depth hoar with the upper snowpack forming a 50 to 120 cm thick slab above this weakness. Recent storms will add snow load and potentially increase the likelihood of triggering.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Parks Canada forecasters triggered a fresh size 1 wind slab on Dolomite shoulder today 60 to 80cm deep. Sunshine patrol also triggered 2 size 1 wind slabs. Forecasters anticipate that avalanche activity will increase on Wednesday due to incoming snow Tuesday overnight.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20cm of new snow has fallen on 93N as of Tues afternoon, much less in the rest of the forecast area. There are reactive wind slabs in lee alpine areas. The upper snowpack has several crusts and weak interfaces from January down 25-70cm. The Nov 16 deep persistent facet layer is down 40-110 cm and continues to produce sudden test results.

Weather Summary

Cooling temperatures with the ridge being around -15 and the valley about -6 on Wednesday. Incoming snowfall will vary across the region with more accumulating in the north (up to 20cm). Wind will remain elevated and not come below 40km/hr from the SW. Winds will peak at roughly 80km/hr from the SW early morning hours on Wednesday.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Regions covered