Expect potential for human triggering and natural avalanches to increase with afternoon sun particularly S aspects. Ice climbers need to start and end early to avoid the increased danger in the afternoon.
Weather Forecast
The next few days will be cold during the night, perhaps some overnight flurries, followed by sunny conditions and freezing levels rising to 1800m or higher in the afternoon with the suns energy on steep solar aspects and South facing bowls or gullies.
Snowpack Summary
A significant amount of snow arrived last weekend with warm temperatures and light winds creating a soft slab and storm snow instability on all aspects and elevations. The snow sits on previous windslab surfaces at treeline and above and on a faceted snowpack at lower elevations. Winds have yet to slab up the new snow. Monitor for that condition.
Avalanche Summary
Monday's explosive control work produced some size 3 soft slabs in the Icefields and Maligne lake alpine areas. They slid on the storm snow interface. A few dusted the highway. Natural activity was limited but a few size 2-3's were noted. Winds still need to slab up the storm snow. Gullies above polar circus were 85% cleaned out with control work.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Problems
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.
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.