Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy skies, 40-60 km/h northeast wind, freezing level drops to valley bottom with treeline temperatures dropping to -10 C.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny, 40 km/h northeast wind, freezing level to 1500 m with treeline temperatures around -3 C.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny, 30 km/h northeast wind, freezing level to 2000 m with treeline temperatures around 0 C.

THURSDAY: Mostly sunny, 30 km/h northeast wind, freezing level to 2200 m with treeline temperatures reach +2 C.

A few small dry loose avalanches were reported on Sunday. There have been some notable slab avalanches reported to the north in Kananaskis Country and Banff over the last few days, including a near miss where a skier triggered a slab avalanche on Saturday that failed on a 70 cm deep facet layer. This avalanche occurred on a north aspect at 2100 m. See the MIN report here and a follow up by Kananaskis Public Safety here. 

Warming temperatures later this week could result in slab avalanches on old weak layers, however on Tuesday temperatures will remain relatively cool with the primary concerns being wind slabs, cornices, and wet loose avalanches.

While sunny weather is melting the surface on southerly slopes, gusty northeast wind could blow around recent snow at upper elevations and form wind slabs on lee features. Upper elevations have 15-30 cm of settling snow from recent storm, but exact amounts are variable throughout the region due to the convective nature of the spring weather. The recent snow is sitting on hard crusts on solar aspects and a mix of wind affected or soft surfaces on shady aspects. 

The mid-pack is firm and well settled. Some faceted snow and a decomposing melt-freeze crust can be found near the base of the snowpack that may become a concern later this week when things really warm up.

The snow line is creeping up to higher elevations, so some common access points are now snow free.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
• Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.