Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Feb 23 – 24, 2014Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Recent winds have produced wind slabs in lee alpine terrain. These wind slabs could step down to the storm snow interface resulting in large avalanches.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–3
    The storm snow interface down 40-70 cm still producing easy to moderate results. Natural cycle is over but still possible for skiers to trigger this layer.

Weather Forecast

A high pressure moving in late Sunday brings a cooling and clearing trend for for the start of next week. Sunday will be sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperatures reaching a high of -16. Ridge top winds forecast to be light from the north-west on Sunday moving to light from the north as the high pressure becomes established.

Snowpack Summary

30-70cm of recent storm snow is settling and overrides the Feb10th interface. Field tests today show an easy to moderate shear persists on the storm snow interface. Recent SW winds have created wind slabs in lee alpine terrain. These wind slabs are easily triggered and often step down to the Feb 10th interface.

Avalanche Summary

The natural avalanche cycle seems to have subsided, but skier triggered avalanches (up to class 2) were reported in the Lake Louise on Thursday, and two skier remotes were reported on the moraine approach to Peyto Glacier on Wednesday. Avalanche control on Mt. Whymper yesterday produced avalanches to sz 2.5 failing on the Feb.10th interface.

Confidence

Regions covered