Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Jan 1 – 2, 2016Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 11 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR! What a beautiful forecast to start the new year - lots of great skiing/boarding/climbing to be had! ENJOY!

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Isolated windslabs exist at treeline and in alpine areas. It's hard to pin down exactly where these are, but several natural and skier triggered avalanches (up to size 1.5) have been reported in the past week.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Ice climbers and skiers be mindful of loose snow avalanches to size 2 in steep solar terrain. Several avalanches have been observed with warming temperatures and sun affect.

Weather Forecast

A strong ridge of high pressure will dominate the region through the weekend bringing lots of sunshine and calm winds. There will be no inversion tomorrow but alpine temperatures will remain warm for Friday and Saturday with freezing levels forecast to be around 1800 m.

Snowpack Summary

A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. Isolated wind slabs up to size 1.5 exist on leeward slopes at treeline and above from recent wind effect. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar remains visible and produces hard, planar test results in some areas but has not been reactive to skier traffic.

Avalanche Summary

Several natural and skier triggered wind slabs up to size 1.5 have been observed in the past week at and above treeline. Loose snow avalanches to size 2 out of steep solar terrain were observed again today with the warming temperatures. Several natural cornice failures to size 2 have also been reported over the past few days.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations

Regions covered