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 Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National ParksIssued:Thursday, February 14, 2008 15:32Valid Until:Friday, February 15, 2008 16:00Bulletin Area:This forecast covers the east and west sides of the Continental Divide from the Wapta Icefields area in the north to the Sunshine area in the south. It also includes the Main Range area from Lake Louise to Bow Summit.
Synopsis:The forecast area experienced cooler overnight temperatures and no new snow in the past 24 hours. However, the winds definitely started to pick up by noon today and snow transport became very evident along ridge tops. These winds are stiffening the existing slabs keeping them touchy to human triggering, despite reasonable storm snow settlement rates.The January 27th interface is still reactive and can be a melt freeze crust, facets or surface hoar depending upon aspect and elevation. The big factor in the Rockies snow pack is still the weak basal facets and depth hoar. In thin snow pack areas this weak base is having difficulty adjusting the the new storm snow load and is reactive. We are still on the tail end of a avalanche cycle and HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE PROBABLE IN STEEP, UNSUPPORTED TERRAIN. The Pacific system should roll through starting tomorrow afternoon and we should see between 10 and 20 cm by the end of the day on Friday with a few rain showers at valley bottom. The winds are forecasted to be in the moderate range from the South West and further slab development with some natural avalanche activity is expected by Friday night and into Saturday morning. Avalanche Activity:Avalanche control produced slab avalanches to size 3 today in Yoho on Mt Bosworth and Mt Stephen. A huge size 4 ripped wall to wall in the Urs Hole on Cascade in the past 24 to 48 hours filling the gulley, making the ice climb a lot more like a luge run. More avalanche activity occurred on Mt Bourgeau in the next feature to the left of Bourgeau left running full path.Outlook:A ridge of high pressure should build in for the long weekend with clear skies and warm temperatures. Watch out for solar effect on south aspects, the warming trend should wake up some of those slabs... give routes such Cascade waterfall a definite miss until the terrain above cleans out. This long weekend it would be very wise to plan your trips around moderate terrain selection and minimal objective hazard. Areas west of the Divide and in the high Alpine are better bets for improved stability.Travel Conditions:The regional areas of deeper snow coverage (Yoho, Kootaney) are more supportive and the turns are better there. All in all, this weeks strom snow has improved the quality of the ride a lot!! Happy Valentines Day MH
FOR MORE DETAILS:Warden Office: (403) 762-1470 Emergency: 403 762 4506 24 Hours Recorded Message: 1-800-667-1105 Related Link: http://www.avalanche.ca/ Seasonal Archives |
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