RESUME / ABSTRACT  




Snow Avalanches: Hazard Awareness & Prediction

par/by


Ken Little

MSC-PYR's Mountain Weather Centre in Kelowna





Each winter season, an average to 10 to 15 people perish in snow avalanches in Canada. The accelerating expansion in the use of avalanche terrain by recreationalists and industry places an increasing segment of the population at risk. Snow avalanche hazard is not confined to western Canada.

Snow avalanche phenomena have been studied in Canada for over a century. Historically, research into effective prediction methods has focused on the engineering & structural aspects of snow avalanche formation. Snow avalanche hazard assessment & prediction depends fundamentally upon access to reliable meteorological input variables at scales well below those of operational NWP.

The phenomena of snow avalanches in Canada is reviewed and discussed. Suggestions are offered for MSC involvement in snow avalanche prediction.