Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 27 – 28, 2013Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Sunday will see little overnight freeze and continued strong winds.  Watch for touchy wind slabs and sluffing in bigger alpine terrain. SH

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Fresh wind slabs have likely formed in lee features .  These new wind slabs will be sitting over previous wind slabs which can still be triggered in steeper terrain, especially where they overly a crust.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Watch for heavy sloughing where powder overlies harder bed surfaces. In steep terrain, this could push you over a cliff or into a terrain trap.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Rain below treeline and no overnight freeze means wet avalanches are possible.  Steep, gullied terrain that still has enough snow to slide will be the features of most concern.

Weather Forecast

Continued strong westerly winds Sunday with slightly cooler temperatures (freezing levels 1500m overnight) and light flurries or showers West of the divide at lower elevations. Expect little freeze again below treeline. Sunday evening through to Monday expect 10-15cm of snow along the divide with freezing levels dropping throughout the day.

Snowpack Summary

Rain below 1900m with no freeze overnight.  Strong to extreme SW winds (up to 133kmh on Mt. Bosworth) in the alpine have created pockets of wind slab on lee features.

Avalanche Summary

Limited observations Saturday due to poor visibility but no new  avalanches reported

Confidence

on Sunday

Regions covered