http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/links/goto_e.asp?destination=Any solar input on the already moist snowpack will increase the hazard over the day. Take your sunscreen and use extra caution on all classic avalanche terrain features. Be careful out there folks and enjoy the long weekend!
Weather Forecast
Forecasts are showing a clearing trend over the day Saturday. Overall it does show a slow cooling trend but the sun is packing a bigger punch these days and will likely wake up the snowpack!
Snowpack Summary
Continuing moderate to strong SW winds in the Icefields area. These are perfect transport speeds, combined with a heavier moist snowpack and a steady input of rain or wet snow has created dangerous soft slab conditions through the forecast area. This slab is sitting over multiple touchy interfaces on all aspects and elevations.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous soft slab and storm slab avalanches have been observed in the forecast region up to size 3. Avalanche control at roadside produced results to size 1 on heavily controlled slopes.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Saturday
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
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.