http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/Cond_E.asp?oID=30731&oPark=100244Avalanche control today was effective and Highway 93 should reopen on schedule tomorrow.
Weather Forecast
Cool arctic air and beautiful blue skies will dominate over the short term and likely into next week. The strength and location of the high pressure system will keep winds lighter, making for a longer period of good travel conditions and the midday sun will make you feel warm if you recreate in the sunny locations.
Snowpack Summary
Cool temps have started to reduce the touchiness of the storm slab throughout the forecast zone. Varied storm snow amts: 10-15cm in the Icefields, 40cm near Mt Wilson, and 30cm north of Beauty creek is sitting on the weak and facetted persistent slab at mid snowpack. Reverse loading from a northerly flow has cross-loaded Alpine features.
Avalanche Summary
Widespread avalanche cycle throughout the forecasted region with numerous to size 3.5 over the last 2 days from all aspects. All elevations saw significant propagation with debris often reaching valley bottom even from ALP start zones.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
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.