Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Dec 14 – 15, 2015Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 11 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Forecasters are still trying to determine where the surface hoar exits. Thus far sheltered locations between 1700m and 2150m is where it is being found.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    With increasing winds Saturday night, continue to watch for wind slabs in typically suspicious areas: leeward and cross loaded slopes or slopes near ridge crests.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    A 30-40cm soft slab sits over the Dec 3 surface hoar in an elevation band between 1700 and 2150m. Continue to treat all steep open slopes below treeline with suspicion until you can rule out this weak layer.

Weather Forecast

We expect to see a few cm's of snow and increasing SW winds into Sunday. Temperatures will be slightly warmer ranging from -2 to -10'C.

Snowpack Summary

In sheltered terrain between 1700 and 2150m, a 30-40 cm soft slab sits over the December 3rd surface hoar. This layer continues to produce whumphs and easy shears in many locations, especially in areas to the West with more snow. No other significant shears have been observed. In the alpine isolated wind slabs exist in immediate lee areas.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed today in our forecast area. Ski cutting produced some small slabs on the Dec 3 SH in steep terrain near the Simpson slide paths today. These slabs were ski cut in the immediate lee.

Confidence

Regions covered