Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Conditions are generally good, but not perfect as the week warms up. Climbers should be wary of steep, sun exposed gullies, and skiers watch out for the weaker snowpack in the Lake Louise area. Thurs and Fri will be hot days in sheltered areas.
Weather Forecast
The warm air has arrived and it at the higher elevations today and also for Wednesday. Expect clear skies and continued warming through the week, particularly on the eastern side of the park. Valley bottom high's will reach +1 by Friday. Thursday and Friday will be the warmest days of the week. Don't be fooled by cold temps in the valleys.
Snowpack Summary
The surface snow is a mix of soft powder and wind effect in alpine areas. The recent cold temperatures have weakened the upper half of the snowpack, and several weak layers exist in the top 60 cm. The distribution of these layers across our forecast region is quite random. The loose surface snow will run far when even a small avalanche starts.
Avalanche Summary
Lots of interesting activity around the Lake Louise backcountry today. We received reports of a 3 different avalanches triggered by skiers in West Bowl (size 1), Corral Creek Slides (size 1.5) and Hidden Bowl (size 2). No involvements but these were unexpected and definitely highlight the uncertainty in the snow pack around Lake Louise.
Problems
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.
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.