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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Feb 14th, 2014–Feb 15th, 2014
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be considerable
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be high
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be high

Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Avalanche control planned for tomorrow on Mt. Bourgeau and the Vermillion Crossing (KNP) slide paths. Please no recreational activities in these areas. Extremely touchy conditions in high snow fall areas: KNP, Sunshine back-country, & Yoho.

Weather Forecast

A break in the snow tomorrow and the wind will be moderate with strong gusts (SW).  Another system starting Saturday night through Monday will bring another 10-25 cm, more to the North end of the region.  Winds will be strong SW with gusts over 100 kph on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

Treeline storm snow amounts are 75 cm in Kootenay & Yoho, 60 cm in the Sunshine area, & 25 cm in the Louise/Hwy 93N areas. Winds,warm temps causing slab development in exposed areas,which overlies a complex layer of facets, surface hoar and sun crust on solar aspects. Below this a generally well settled midpack overlying the basal depth hoar layer.

Avalanche Summary

Another field trip to Kootenay, forecasters were able to remote trigger several size 2`s on any steep (>35 deg) unsupported terrain features. One was triggered from 300 m away. These were running 100-300m and were on average 30-40cm deep. One natural size 3 observed on a SE aspect, ran about 1000m. Still touchy around sunshine as well.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Avalanche Problems

Persistent Slabs

Touchy slabs continue to build and stiffen over a combination of facets, surface hoar, and sun crust on solar aspects. Large propagations (upto 300 m) and several skier remote triggered avalanches to size 2  were observed today in KNP.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Very Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 3

Wind Slabs

Winds will continue to build slabs in the lee of ridge crests and exposed areas.  These slabs rest on facets or hard surfaces and have not bonded to these layers yet.
Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Avoid areas with overhead hazard.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 2 - 3