Solar radiation will peak Sunday. Start early, and finish early while the hazard is lower.
Areas East of HWY93N and around the Lake Louise ski hill back country have a much thinner snowpack, making it more susceptible to human triggering
Below the recent snow, a 30-80 cm slab sits on the weak lower snowpack. On all but high north aspects, recent sun crusts and the March 27 rain crust cap this slab, providing some security. Use extreme caution in higher, thinner areas or when these superficial crusts are weak or are breaking down.
Crusts almost everywhere on solar aspects, solar inputs will still affect rocky areas. As heating develops, higher and shaded slopes will become affected. Sluffing off of steep rocky faces should be expected and cornice failures are more likely. Isolated wind slab may found in wind prone areas.
No new activity was observed or reported in this subregion on Saturday.
Surface crusts on solar aspects up to ~2800 m. Up to 30 cm of dry snow on north slopes at higher elevations. On south aspects, this 30cm contains several crusts
Below this, a prominent rain crust (Mar 27) is found everywhere up to at least 2300m. The strength and extent of this crust varies area to area
Below this, a 30-70 cm slab of dense snow overlies another 40-70 cm of weak facets. This is the main problem in the snowpack and is of particular concern when the crusts above it are weak
Daytime solar radiation is the most important input to the snowpack right now.
Tonight: Clear. Alpine temp: Low -2 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 30 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom. Weak temperature inversion.
Sunday: Sunny. Alpine temps: High 5 °C. Ridge wind light to 25 km/h. Freezing level: Up to 3100 metres on solar aspects.
