Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Weather Forecast
Mainly cloudy on Thursday with isolated flurries along the divide. Clearing and cooling trend for Friday as Arctic air pushes down from the north. Day time highs in the alpine in the mid-teens.Check our weather stations for current conditions.
Snowpack Summary
Surface facetting over-top of a well settled mid and lower pack. Sun crusts exist on steep S/SW aspects and large surface hoar is forming below 2000m. Isolated wind slabs exist in the alpine. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 20-50 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.
Avalanche Summary
No new slab avalanches reported in past few days, but a party triggered a size 1.5 sluff avalanche in a steep gully on Tuesday. This relatively small avalanche gained speed, hit a party below and they tumbled down the couloir. A good example of a small avalanche having a big impact due to the committing nature of the terrain.
Confidence
Avalanche Problems
Loose Dry
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2