Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Strong NE wind has created slabs on SW aspects in the alpine.
Weather Forecast
Expect clearing on Sunday. Temperatures will stay around -15 at the ridge and close to -5 in the valley. Wind will persist from the N/NE in the strong range until early Monday.Â
Snowpack Summary
10-20cm of snow on top of a 3cm supportive crust with moist snow to ground below. The crust dissipates at ~2400m. At tree line the snowpack ranges from 30-60cm deep. Expect 30 to 40cm of recent snow above 2500m with NE wind creating a reverse loading pattern late Saturday into Sunday.
Avalanche Summary
Both Lake Louise and Sunshine Village ski patrol report small thin wind slabs from ski cuts and explosives on Saturday. Nothing larger than a size 1 was observed.
Confidence
Wind effect is extremely variable on Saturday
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs exist from last weeks extreme SW wind event. More recent NE winds have created a reverse loading pattern. Although small in size, expect to encounter wind slabs on most aspects in the alpine.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
- Be careful around wind loaded areas near ridge crests, cross loaded gullies and roll-overs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2