Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Expect snow surfaces to be variable as the freezing level drops and the previous moist surfaces form into crusts. Seek out sheltered, shaded aspects to find soft snow.
Weather Forecast
Thursday will be a mix of sun and cloud with alpine temperatures from -8 to -12. Winds will be strong out of the west in the morning and decrease though the day. Friday will be much the same but slightly warmer, alpine temperatures -5 to -8.
Snowpack Summary
Strong west winds on Wednesday caused extensive wind effect in the alpine and in open treeline features. Surface crust with moist snow underneath found on solar aspects in sheltered areas at treeline and all elevations below treeline. Several buried crusts exist on solar aspects and are found 30 to 80 cm deep.
Avalanche Summary
Explosives control on Wednesday produced avalanches up to size 3 on south and west aspects. Numerous wet loose avalanches up to size 2 on solar aspects with Wednesday's warm temps. A skier triggered size 2 wind slab on an east aspect was reported on Monday.
Confidence
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Extensive wind effect exists with wind slabs in protected lee features.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
Buried crust/facet layers exist in the upper snowpack on solar aspects and all aspects below 1800m.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 3