Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Feb 1 – 2, 2013Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Warming and solar effect on Saturday may cause local instabilities and increased danger on southerly aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Isolated wind slabs in steep terrain features may be human triggered or run naturally with slight additional loading.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    In Kootenay and Yoho there is a buried surface hoar and/or crust layer down about 50 cm. This layer may be triggerable on steep terrain features.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Hard slabs from previous high winds have been buried by recent storm snow. These slabs have been unreactive to skier triggering, but new wind loading may awaken them.

Weather Forecast

Weak precipitation and warm teme\peratures with a westerly flow. Clearing for Saturday may create solar issues with the warm temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

Two main layers in the upper pack are Jan 23 and Jan 4 surface hoar/ facets or suncrust down 25 & 55. Major problem is wind slabs in all open areas easily triggerable in steep terrain.

Avalanche Summary

Very little activity. Some wind slabs in steep terrain to size 2. One older size 2 slab (48 hrs + ) in Kootenay may have failed on surface hoar down 50.

Confidence

Regions covered