Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 16 – 17, 2019Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 7 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating

Highlights

The weather is expected to deteriorate by Thursday. When traveling in stormy conditions expect to find significant change in snow accumulation as you gain elevation.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    Recent snow (20-50cm) has been redistributed by steady and moderate westerly winds over the weekend. Some drifts in immediate lees are 100cm deep. With forecasted snow and wind for the remainder of the week, this problem will continue to develop.

Snowpack Summary

30 to 50cm has fallen at higher elevations since April 9. Recent winds and snow have created windslabs on lee N and E aspects in the alpine, up to 100cm deep. Still some uncertainty with the March 7 layer, snowpack structure and recent test show a weakness 50 to100cm down on high north aspects but no avalanche activity has been recently reported.

Avalanche Summary

Several recent windslab avalanches were observed today. Generally releasing from immediate lee slopes to size 2. One size 2.5 was observation on 93N, this appeared to be a cornice triggered windslab.

Confidence

Weather Forecast

Most forecast are showing an approaching westerly front moving in Wednesday afternoon. Expect to see an increase in wind values in the alpine and light precipitation starting later in the day. By Thursday we could see 5 to 10 of snow accumulation at upper elevations and likely rain in the valley. The precipe is expected to continue through Friday.

Regions covered