It's a good time to be out in the mountains, enjoy the blue skies and sunshine!
Weather Forecast
High pressure system means sunny days, clear skies, light winds and minimal to zero precipitation for the next few days. Strong diurnal temperature fluctuations expected in the alpine, with freezing levels creeping up to 1400m for a short period in the afternoon and warmer than seasonal temperatures up high.
Snowpack Summary
Snowpack is faceting and losing strength in shallow areas. Midpack is still generally supportive above treeline, with wind slabs in lee features at upper elevations. New surface hoar is being observed on the surface and is quite widespread below treeline.
Avalanche Summary
Near surface faceting and a clear sunny day produced numerous loose snow avalanches to size 1.5 in the Columbia Icefield Area today. These slides originated from steep, shallow and rocky terrain in the alpine on solar aspects. No new slab avalanches observed on road patrol from Jasper to Sask Crossing (very good visibility).
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.