Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 23rd, 2018 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Watch gullied terrain and terrain traps if it gets sunny. Watch for surface slabs and near surface slabs in large openings and areas of high consequence.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Light flurries and a mixed bag of sun and cloud into Sunday. Large inputs of solar radiation should increase the possibility of lose avalanches in the afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

Variable surface conditions with dry snow present on polar aspects above 1600 m and temp crusts to ridgetops on solar aspects. Small wind slabs found in the high alpine. Concern still exists for last weeks storm snow where it sits on a buried suncrust (down 20-30 cm) on south and west aspects. Shallow snowpack areas are also still a concern.

Avalanche Summary

A skier accidental involvement was reported in the Lake Louise area yesterday. This points to ongoing problems with the upper portion of the snowpack.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs and wind effect can be found in the alpine. Wind slabs are unlikely to release naturally but can be triggered by skiers and climbers.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Concern still exists for last weeks storm snow (20-30 cm) where it overlies a crust on solar aspects. Some recent avalanches have been observed on this interface.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Mar 24th, 2018 4:00PM