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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 6th, 2024–May 7th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

We expect the start of a significant avalanche cycle on Wednesday/Thursday with rising freezing levels and lots of warm sunny weather.

Confidence

No Rating

Avalanche Summary

Poor visibility and limited observations today. Suspect some loose wet activity associated with warm temperatures and rain at lower elevations (below 2200m).

Snowpack Summary

Fresh snow at upper elevations (above 2500m) sits on a variety of surfaces including temperature crusts (solar aspects) and dry snow (north aspects). Below 2500m surface crusts becoming moist and breaking down with rain and above freezing temperatures.

The mid-pack Feb 3 persistent layer is lingering and is expected to become active as day time temperatures rise on Wednesday.

Weather Summary

Tuesday: Unsettled weather with rain or snow showers (depending on elevation). Freezing levels will be in the 2300m range

Wednesday: An upper ridge starts to build resulting in clearing skies, lots of sunshine and rising freezing levels (25-2700m)

Thursday: Warm and sunny. Freezing levels rising to 3000m.

For more detailed weather click here.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid exposure to overhead hazards when solar radiation is strong.
  • Cornice failures could trigger very large and destructive avalanches.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.