Watch for a weak freeze Saturday night to prime conditions for poor travel and likely an avalanche cycle Sunday and Monday as a ridge brings warm air and sunny skies.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Friday evening should see a reasonable freeze with a continued light, slightly unstable, westerly flow. Freezing levels will reach 2500m Saturday afternoon. Expect a weak freeze with warm air invading. Sunday watch for SIGNIFICANT HEATING: calm winds and clear skies allowing strong solar effect combined with freezing levels in excess of 3500m.
Snowpack Summary
We are into a spring cycle for most of the Little Yoho area except in high north facing alpine. Occasional pockets of deep instability may still be encountered and triggered from shallow locations during warm periods of the day. 5cm of recent snow overlies crusts that extend to all but North aspects above about 2600m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed or reported today.
Confidence
Problems
Loose Wet
All avalanche terrain should be avoided later in the day when the crust on top of the snowpack breaks down due to daytime heating. This is possible to TL Saturday but very likely into the ALP and on North aspects Sunday with strong heating expected
- Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up.
- Travel early on frozen crusts before the heat of the day.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Watch for cornices to become active Sunday through Monday as the freezing levels reach their highest point yet this spring.
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 16th, 2016 4:00PM
