Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 26th, 2015 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

tim haggarty, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

A bit of wind in the last 24 hours has been responsible for some wind effect and slab formation in the alpine.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A bit of moisture will trickle over the divide Sunday and Monday as pacific air fights against polar air over the prairies expect cloud and trace amounts with treeline temperatures between -10 and -15. A mild temperature inversion has formed. A high pressure system will take hold Tuesday bringing a return to clear skies and northerly winds

Snowpack Summary

A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. Some small isolated wind slabs exist on leeward slopes in the high alpine. Below 2000m the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar remains visible and produces hard, planar test results in some areas. This weakness is strengthening. Thin snow pack areas are beginning to facet out.

Avalanche Summary

One new natural slab avalanche was observed Friday on a steep N facing hanging snowfield on White Pyramid, 15-20m wide and about 1m deep, possibly cornice triggered. Some sluffing has been observed in really steep terrain due to the increasing winds moving the low density surface snow .

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Problems

Wind Slabs

Isolated windslabs can be found in alpine terrain as a result of recent West and Southwest winds.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 27th, 2015 4:00PM