Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 10th, 2015 4:00PM

The alpine rating is below threshold, the treeline rating is below threshold, and the below treeline rating is below threshold. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.

snow safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Ski quality is still decent on true North aspects. We expect limited solar activity on Saturday due to cloud cover, but watch locally for sun affect in the afternoon. SH

Summary

Weather Forecast

5-10 cm is expected Friday night into Saturday. Lesser amounts are forecast for the Sunshine/Banff regions. This will be accompanied by mod to strong westerly winds and freezing levels to valley bottom in the AM and 1600m on Saturday afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

On N aspects, 15-20 of loose facets overlies strong melt-freeze crusts up to 2300m. All other aspects have sun crust in the morning and moist snow in the afternoon. This buried crust provides a bridge over the basal facets which continue to remain dormant. The exception to this may be large loads such as a cornice falling on a thin snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Cloud cover prevented solar activity in many areas Friday, and no new avalanches were reported.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Some small wind slabs may form over the next 24 hours in immediate lees of ridge crests. These will be reactive in the short term.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Cornices

There have been many reports of cornice chunks falling off of ridge crests which may be big enough a load to trigger an avalanche, or be enough mass themselves to be a hazard.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Apr 11th, 2015 4:00PM