Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 13th, 2016 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 Loose Wet and Deep Persistent Slabs.

Lisa Paulson, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Expect another cooler day for Thursday & Friday with cloudy skies, scattered flurries and FL to climb to 2200 m.

Snowpack Summary

Crusts remained intact through the day, except for steeper solar aspects below treeline. Below the crust isothermal snow exists up to treeline on all aspects, and in thin alpine areas on S aspects. N aspects in the high alpine are more winter like. In many places the upper snowpack sits on a weaker deep persistent layer of rounding facets.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches observed or reported today.Last Sunday around 2 pm, there was a size 3 skier triggered wet slab avalanche outside of Lake Louise ski area on a NNE aspect in the Corral Creek-Hidden Bowl area. Last Saturday, in the heat of the afternoon explosive control caused several 2.5-3 loose wet avalanches out of steep treeline terrain in KNP.

Confidence

Problems

Loose Wet

All avalanche terrain should be avoided later in the day when the crust on top of the snowpack breaks down due to daytime heating. Cloud cover may reduce the likelihood of this on Thursday.

Travel early on frozen crusts before the heat of the day.Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep facet layers remain weak especially in thin snowpack areas and may be triggered during the hotter parts of the day.

Travel early before the heat of the day, and avoid big slopes in the afternoon.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Apr 14th, 2016 4:00PM