The Icefields could receive up to 25cm of new snow in the next 24 hours.
Weather Forecast
Some weather models are calling up to 20cm of snow overnight in the Parkers Ridge area and dramatically less further north in the Tonquin and Maligne Ranges. Freezing levels forecast as a dirunal cycle with overnight freezes in the valleys and to rise to 1800m during the days. Overall unsettled convective spring weather with light variable winds.
Snowpack Summary
A supportive crust exists to 2,100m near treeline. Higher up, at treeline and above, a winter snowpack remains on N aspects . Solar facing slopes have crusts extending higher into the alpine. At upper elevation a weak faceted layer buried down 20-50cm remains of concern. The snowpack sits on a weak base of facets and depth hoar.
Avalanche Summary
No new slab avalanches have been observed although signs of cornice failures up to size 2 have been reported
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Friday
Problems
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.
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.
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.