Bulletin d’avalanche

Waterton Lakes

Dec 23 – 26, 2014Parks Canada
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Archivé · expiré 12 years ago

Danger d’avalanche

Tue
Wed
Alpin
3 · Marqué
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Points saillants

Significant amounts or recent snow now sits on a weak layer and human triggering is a real possibility. Travel off of trails below about 1900m is still a poor idea. Watch weather forecasts carefully to see exactly what the storm will bring Tuesday.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2
    West and South slopes have largely been stripped of snow but expect to find these slabs in the lee areas of exposed features above treeline. Also watch for crossloaded features such as gullies and bear in mind that the small new cornices are weak.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2
    Test the shear found on the weak snow above the crust frequently. Although clean shears found on the facets alone are serious, the isolated areas that hold surface hoar should be treated with even more respect. More snow may make this more touchy.

Weather Forecast

A system is forecast to  approach on  Tuesday. West Winds and temperatures will both increase until about midnight and about 10 cm of precip should arrive by midday Wednesday. Models seem to disagree on the intensity of the precip and temperatures from this system but seem to agree on strong winds.

Snowpack Summary

Warm temperatures have kept the coverage thin below 1900m. Up to 170cm of snow now at treeline. 5 to 10cm of Facet Cyrstals capped with isolated pockets of Surface Hoar is sitting on the strong Dec 13 Crust. This weak layer is now buried by 20 to 40cm of Storm Snow at treeline. West Winds have built significant slabs in alpine features

Avalanche Summary

Evidence of a few storms slabs to size 2 could be seen at treeline. Small settlements were also felt by forecasters on patrol near treeline.  In alpine areas a few recent slabs could be seen in the lee areas, the North and East aspects, of steep alpine features.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Tuesday

Régions couvertes