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The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) marks the start of a new season of avalanche forecasts with a new bulletin format and a significant increase in the number of bulletin regions.
"These two developments go hand-in-hand," says CAC executive director Ian Tomm.
"With help from the efficiencies of our new bulletin system, we will split some of our larger regions into smaller ones. As a result, the CAC will provide daily avalanche information for 12 regions, up from seven in the past."
The new bulletin format was developed in partnership with Parks Canada and uses icons and other graphic elements to communicate avalanche risk. At the CAC website, advanced backcountry users can also access more detailed, text-based information if they wish.
Dividing some of the larger regions into smaller segments is a long-held goal of the CAC, says Tomm.
"Here in Canada, we deal with an unprecedented magnitude of scale. We have long recognized the need to split some of our regions into smaller segments.
“This affords our forecasters a greater degree of accuracy and allows them to be even more precise with their travel advice to recreational backcountry users."