Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff, Banff Yoho Kootenay, East Side 93N, Field, Kootenay, LLSA, Lake Louise, Sunshine, West Side 93N.
10–20 cm of new snow is expected with minimal wind, which will improve ski quality. However, watch locally for how this is bonding to harder surfaces below.
The deep layers have been inactive, but weak facets and depth hoar still exist.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported over the last 72 hours.
Snowpack Summary
A few cm of snow accumulated above ~2000m on Sunday. Below this, surface crusts exist on solar aspects to ridgetop and on all aspects at treeline and below. On northerly aspects, 10-30 cm dry snow with isolated wind effect in lee areas of the alpine. The March 27 crust is 30-70 cm deep and extends to about 2500m. Below the settled midpack, there are still facets and depth hoar to the ground.
Weather Summary
Monday: 10-20cm of snow is possible in the East, but the amount is highly uncertain. Winds should remain light from the NW, and treeline temperatures will stay below freezing. See image below for details.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Dry
Forecasts vary about how much snow will fall over the next 24 hours, ranging from 10 to 20cm. Watch locally for amounts and how it is bonding to harder surfaces below. With minimal wind expect a dry loose problem, but may act as a small slab if winds pick up.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5
Persistent Slabs
An 80 cm thick midpack slab sits over a weaker, facetted base. On most slopes, recent sun crusts and a buried March 27 rain crust cap this slab, adding strength. We suspect it would take a large trigger, like a cornice or a human in a very steep, thin area, to get this going.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3