Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 15th, 2018 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Loose Dry and Storm Slabs.

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

The new snow is bonding poorly to the old snow and is presently touchy. Storm slabs will likely give way to wind slabs and should stabilize fairly quickly. Watch out for large open areas, or gullied terrain that can gain mass quickly.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Cooling night time temperatures and continued light snow and clouds should help stabilize the surface problem fairly quickly.

Snowpack Summary

North aspect snow is soft, cold and well settled with few weak layers of concern. 20-30 cm of new snow is forming a soft slab, often on melt-freeze layers and will take a few days to bond. Expect more new snow and windslabs in the alpine by Friday morning

Avalanche Summary

Poor visibility today - no avalanches noted. The local ski hills reported storm slabs running light but fast at all elevations and exposures..

Confidence

Problems

Loose Dry

The sun is strong right now and with this clear weather, it is destabilizing the snow on solar aspects in the afternoon. Generally these avalanches are running as loose wet and not stepping down to deeper layers, but the possibility remains.

Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Storm Slabs

Hot weather means cornice season, and this is the time when large mature cornices begin to fall off and the mountain sheds its snowpack. On ridges stay well away from cornices (they can reach back and get you), and avoid traveling under them.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 16th, 2018 4:00PM