Moderate to strong winds forecasted for Thursday will create fresh slabs in the alpine. Areas of main concern are gully features and steep lee slopes. Ice climbers should pay attention to local wind conditions. Up to date weather station observations can be obtained from Avalanche Canada's website.
There is enough snow in wind-loaded alpine and high treeline features to create avalanches. Areas of main concern are steep lee slopes and cross loaded gully features. These slides are expected to be limited in size but with the shallow snowpack, consequences could be serious.
Minimal information is available right now, but we expect small windslabs isolated to leeward slopes and gully features (i.e., ice climbs) where the snow has accumulated.
Last weekends storm produced 25-30 cm of new snow along the continental divide, with settled snowpack depths now around 40-60 cm at treeline. Strong forecasted SW winds for Thursday will create fresh windslabs in lee alpine areas and cross-loaded features.
Thursday and Friday bring unsettled weather along the divide with accumulations up to 10 cm by end of day on Friday. Saturday will be sunny and clear with arrival of a high pressure system.
Winds will be in the 40-50 km range from the SW.
Banff National Park forecast
Yoho National Park forecast
Kootenay National Park forecast
Western Canada weather maps
