Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 14th, 2015 4:00PM

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

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Temperatures will cool off Sunday and conditions will improve as this happens. Watch for local wind slab formation at upper elevations. SH

Summary

Weather Forecast

15-20 cm in the alpine can be expected in most of the forecast region.(Less in the Banff area) by Sunday AM. This is a quick moving system which will settle down Sunday morning. Freezing levels to valley bottom and alpine highs of -8C for Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

Rain at lower elevations (below 2000m) has saturated thin snowpack areas. 15-20cm and mod-strong West winds are expected by Sunday morning, which will form fresh wind slabs over previous wind slabs and hard surfaces in exposed lee terrain. The basal depth hoar/facets are bridged by the settled midpack, but caution is advised in thin snowpack areas.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported today.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Sunday

Problems

Wind Slabs

20cm distributed by winds will make wind slabs touchy in the short term.

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

The lower half of the snowpack is weak due to the presence of basal facets and depth hoar. This layer has been dormant lately but may waken up with the warm temperatures , rain, or in shallow areas.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Mar 15th, 2015 4:00PM