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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 21st, 2020–Mar 22nd, 2020

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Snow with elevated winds overnight  Sunday will start the change in conditions through next week.

Weather Forecast

Skies became overcast Saturday afternoon and the possibility of precip increases into Sunday afternoon and through the start of the week with up to 15cm possible by Monday evening. Alpine winds are expected to pick up to strong SW Sunday afternoon with alpine temperatures between -10 and -15C. 

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of snow that fell Wednesday now has a suncrust on solar aspects. Widespread wind effect in the alpine from recent multidirectional winds. In shallow snowpack areas the weak basal facets remain a concern.

Avalanche Summary

Several solar triggered small loose avalanches observed Wednesday and Thursday. Otherwise, no new avalanches observed or reported.

Our observations are very limited and we appreciate your reports to the MIN.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.