Les conditions météorologiques influencent les processus internes et externes responsables de la variabilité spatio-temporelle des propriétés du manteau neigeux. Une étude approfondie des conditions micrométéorologiques sur les divers secteurs d’opération d’Avalanche Québec est nécessaire pour maintenir la fiabilité des prévisions et soutenir le développement d’outil technologique d’analyse et de détection des couches faibles. La modélisation […]

Assessing dangerous avalanche conditions requires a reliable stream of weather and snowpack data, which can be difficult and expensive to collect in many remote areas of Canada. Snowpack conditions can be simulated in these areas by coupling weather forecast models with physical snowpack models, however, this method has had limited adoption by avalanche forecasters. The […]

Danger scales use a combination of colours, words, and severity levels to efficiently communicate basic hazard information to a target audience. Avalanche warning services around the world use a colour-coded, five-level danger scale to communicate the severity of snow avalanche conditions to recreational backcountry users. While past research has primarily focused on helping forecasters produce […]

Analysis of complex systems involves much more than what is evident in data alone. Background knowledge and experience are used to inform interpretation. Often this results in ambiguity, a state where multiple potential interpretations must be considered and evaluated. When analysis is shared these challenges are compounded by the complexity of communication. Ambiguity is common […]

Social media has substantially changed the information landscape for winter backcountry recreation (e.g., backcountry skiers and snowboarders, mountain snowmobile riders and snowshoers), which has created both opportunities and challenges for avalanche safety. The Avalanche Research Program at Simon Fraser University and Avalanche Canada are conducting a study to examine how recreationists seek, share and introduce […]

Avalanche Canada and Park Canada publish avalanche bulletins daily to provide backcountry users with information on avalanche hazard. Since 2010, Canadian bulletins follow the recently developed conceptual model of avalanche hazard (CMAH), which describes the key components of avalanche hazard and how to combine them into an overall assessment. However, the CMAH does not provide […]

The Avalanche Research Program at Simon Fraser University and Avalanche Canada are conducting a study to examine how winter backcountry recreationists, including backcountry skiers and snowboarders, mountain snowmobile riders and snow shoers, seek and use avalanche safety information. Avalanche Canada and Park Canada publish avalanche bulletins daily to provide backcountry users with information on avalanche […]

Assessing dangerous avalanche conditions requires a reliable stream of weather and snowpack data, which can be difficult and expensive to collect in many remote areas of Canada. Snowpack conditions can be simulated in these areas by coupling weather forecast models with physical snowpack models, however, this method has had limited adoption by avalanche forecasters. The […]

Different snowpack structures and weather conditions create distinct types of avalanche problems that require different risk mitigation practices. In North America, nine types of avalanche problems have been identified in the recently introduced Conceptual Model of Avalanche Hazard (CMAH). Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada forecasters have identified and assessed avalanche problems according to the CMAH […]