Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Mar 14 – 15, 2014Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Expect the avalanche danger to increase this weekend. Slopes with a thin and variable snowpack will be the most susceptible to human triggering. SH

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Lee slopes will be loaded from recent strong westerly winds. With more wind and snow in the forecast, these wind slabs will increase in likelihood and size through the weekend.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    This layer is still touchy in thin snowpack areas (especially where there is a buried sun crust), and large whumps and sudden collapse results have been found. With limited observations this layer now seems less reactive in deeper snowpack areas.

Weather Forecast

Strong to Extreme Westerly winds in the alpine starting Friday evening through to the end of the weekend. A system will enter the region on Saturday afternoon with current forecasts calling for roughly 25-40cm by Monday. Alpine temperatures will stay in -8 to -12 C range, and freezing levels will be at valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

West winds have created widespread wind effect in the ALP and at TL.  Below 1500m a rain crust exists. The Feb.10th layer is down 50-110 and is reactive with large whumphs and sudden collapse results in thin snowpack areas, and hard results observed in thick snowpack areas. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity noted today. Yesterday there was still extensive whumpfing on Helen Shoulder which was a thin snowpack with a buried sun crust (E side of divide). We are still only just coming out of a major avalanche cycle.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Sunday

Regions covered