Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Mar 16 – 17, 2018Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

The new snow is bonding poorly to the old snow and is presently touchy. Watch out for large open areas, or gullied terrain that can gain mass quickly. More than 10 cm Saturday would quickly bring us back to considerable danger.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5
    The sun is strong right now and with this clear weather, it is destabilizing the snow on solar aspects in the afternoon. Generally these avalanches are running as loose wet and not stepping down to deeper layers, but the possibility remains.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Hot weather means cornice season, and this is the time when large mature cornices begin to fall off and the mountain sheds its snowpack. On ridges stay well away from cornices (they can reach back and get you), and avoid traveling under them.

Weather Forecast

Overnight freezes are good on the Alberta side of the Rockies and in the alpine. Low elevation sites on the BC side have not recovered for a few days and pockets of isothermal are present on the Field Back Road and the Tak Falls road. 10cm more upslope snow is expected Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

The majority of the old, settled snowpack is stable and recent tests have not found any weaknesses. 20-30 cm of new snow from the past two days has formed a soft slab, and is poorly bonded to melt-freeze or old snow layers .

Avalanche Summary

Several storm slab avalanches were noted today in Yoho, Banff and Kootenay. a few ranged into size 2 and are a good indication that the problem is still present.

Confidence

Regions covered