Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
A bit of a ski quality refresh on North aspects due to 10-15cm at higher elevations. Leave early and end early to avoid solar heating issues . SH
Weather Forecast
Freezing levels to valley bottom Sunday morning and up to 2300-2400m in the afternoon. There will be a mix of sun and cloud, and the possibility of a few cm in the afternoon in alpine regions. Winds will be light from the South West. Freezing levels will start to increase significantly Monday and Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
5-15 cm's of new snow in the high alpine from a brief storm Friday. Some small, isolated wind slabs up to 30cm's were reported on the Wapta Friday. Firm crusts up to 10cms thick remain intact at most elevations below the new snow surface. The basal facets are laying dormant. A very large cornice load or isothermal conditions may change this.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed today.
Problems
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.