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Outdoor adventurers heading to the Rockies’ eastern slopes this winter will have the benefit of a new avalanche forecasting and monitoring system thanks to a partnership between Parks Canada and Avalanche Canada.
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Snowfall forecasts in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks will now be more dynamic and change daily based on current weather and snowpack conditions in specific regions, as opposed to the broader, larger areas covered by the forecasts in the past.
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While the information found in the forecasts will remain the same – with an avalanche danger rating given for below the tree line, the tree line and the alpine regions – the boundaries of the warnings will change.
Visitors to the parks can now search for specific areas on Avalanche Canada’s website among the 92 sub-regions across the country that make up the new forecast.
According to Avalanche Canada, there is currently a significant risk of avalanches in both Banff National Park and in Kananaskis, a three out of five on the organization’s scale. Both Banff and Kananaskis will experience closures, with some areas undergoing intermittent flood control throughout the season.
ocondon@postmedia.com
