Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 17 – 18, 2013Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Expect some light flurries the next few days with light wind.  The new snow may hide the underlying thin slab condition. (LP)

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Watch for isolated thin slabs in the lee of alpine features. These slabs may be hidden by recent light snowfall.

Weather Forecast

Light flurries with light SW wind expected for the next 3 days.  Freezing levels will rise to 1800 m and then drop down again on Saturday night.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine last weeks storm snow is settling and bonding to crusts on solar aspects and to faceted snow on north and east aspects. Isolated thin wind slabs can be expected in the high alpine. Temperatures stayed cool today and the crusts below tree-line stayed supportive well into the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

Some avalanche observations from ACMG Ski Guide Exam today:  on Vermillion Peak (KNP) a size 2 loose avalanche on an East aspect and a size 2 slab (~30 cm thick) on a North aspect, cross-loaded feature, click here for photo.  Yesterday, they were able to ski cut thin size 1 hard slabs on West aspects in the high alpine on Cathedral (YNP). 

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Regions covered