Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Jan 8 – 9, 2013Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

The long period of good stability is ending. The Jan. 6th layer will likely be touchy for some time. Moderate alpine winds on Tues will keep the alpine hazard elevated, and a large snowfall on Tues PM/ Wed will raise the hazard significantly.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–2
    New snow and moderate wind from the West have started to create wind slabs in alpine lee areas. This problem is more prominent W of the divide where more snow has fallen. Expect these wind slabs to be reactive to skier traffic.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Steep gully features with shallow snow packs are the likely areas to run into this problem. This problem is most prominent in ice climbing terrain where a small new snow sluff could entrain the facets and push a climber off their feet.

Weather Forecast

Tues: Alpine temps -10/-15. Alpine winds mod to strong SW. 2-4 cms new snow.Tues overnight and Wed: Alpine temps -10/-15. Alpine winds mod W. 20-35 cms new snow!!Thurs: Alpine temps -15/-20. Alpine winds becoming light N. Clearing skies.

Snowpack Summary

5-30 cm of new snow overlies the Jan. 6th interface which is either a facet, surface hoar, or hard slab layer. Moderate S/SW winds have created soft slabs in exposed alpine and treeline areas. Field reports say these new slabs range from touchy to stubborn to trigger. The lower snowpack is facetted E of the divide and well settled to the W.

Avalanche Summary

A helicopter bombing mission on the sunshine road today produced minimal results to size 2, mostly being loose dry avalanches in the facets. The ski hills are reporting ski cutting newly formed soft slabs to size 1 and newly formed cornices.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Regions covered