Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Weather Forecast
A clearing trend is expected on Saturday with light winds and cool temperatures between -10 and -15'C during the day. Sunday will see a 3-5 cm's of new snow, continued light winds and slightly warmer temperatures.
Snowpack Summary
10-20 cm of new snow on Friday with strong W winds has formed wind slabs in lee features down to treeline. The March 15 sun crust is down 30-50 cm on solar aspects and has been sensitive to skier triggering over the last week. The mid- pack and basal layers have been dormant, but shallow facetted snowpack areas are still worth treating cautiously.
Avalanche Summary
Some explosive triggered wind slabs up to size 2 where observed at the local ski areas Friday but observations were limited. Thursday there were a few cornice triggered wind slabs up to size 2 in the Bow Hut area and Sunshine Village. Several skier triggered slides on steep solar aspects have occurred in the past week on the persistent sun crust.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5