Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 22nd, 2022–Apr 23rd, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

A good freeze can be expected Friday but freezing levels are expected to rise to 2500m so it the sun comes out recent snow over crusts and slabs will become reactive.

Feels like spring.

Weather Forecast

A bit more snow may fall overnight Friday as freezing levels drop back down to 1200m- but amounts will vary due to the convective nature of the weather. Freezing levels may reach 2500m Saturday and with the potential for sunny periods and a few more convective flurries. Freeze levels should return to 1200m by Sunday morning.

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of new snow with rain possible as high as 2000m Friday. This has fallen over a thin sun crust on solar aspects which overlies the 10-20 cm of snow fell on April 19/20 with significant wind to form slabs at treeline and above. These slabs sit on sun crusts to 2500m and extensive wind effect in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

Sunshine Snow Safety reported loose wet avalanches as high as 2500m today Lake Louise had no new activity. No field trip and poor visibility otherwise.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Saturday

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.

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.