Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 31st, 2024 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Loose Wet, Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada AB, Avalanche Canada

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There is uncertainty about how powerful localized solar impact and daytime heating will be tomorrow. It is the time of year to start early and finish early, to optimize the coolest temperatures of the day.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Some small loose dry/wet avalanches were observed in Yoho, otherwise, no avalanches were reported on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 35 cm of snow over old sun crusts on solar aspects, with new solar crusts forming. On polar aspects, this snow sits over a layer of stellars/spotty surface hoar crystals and is worth monitoring.

Our main concern is shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects where the midpack is thinner/weaker, and triggering Feb 3 facet/crust layer and basal facets/depth hoar remains possible.

Deeper snowpack areas have few concerns.

Weather Summary

The sky will be mainly sunny thanks to the influence of an upper ridge. Freezing levels rise to above the treeline along most of the range during the day, lowering to the valley bottom at night. Moderate westerly ridgetop winds

Click here for more weather info.

Problems

Loose Wet

An icon showing Loose Wet

As we head into April the sun will have a greater impact. Sunny skies on Monday may result in wet loose avalanches in the afternoon especially on steep solar aspects and in rocky terrain.

Recent storm snow could also form a cohesive storm slab and become reactive on buried crusts.

Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Wind slabs may be present on ridgetop and cross-loaded features, with failures possible on the interface below the storm snow. Monitor this interface carefully in steep terrain.

Dry loose avalanches out of steep terrain could also present issues in confined terrain features.

Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

The Feb 3 crust/facet interface is down 70-110 cm. In shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects this layer remains sensitive to skiers, with remote triggering observed in several instances. All the recent avalanches that initiated on this layer stepped down to the basal facets / ground.

Aspects: North, North East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Apr 1st, 2024 4:00PM

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