Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Ski quality is still decent on true North aspects. We expect limited solar activity on Saturday due to cloud cover, but watch locally for sun affect in the afternoon. SH
Weather Forecast
5-10 cm is expected Friday night into Saturday. Lesser amounts are forecast for the Sunshine/Banff regions. This will be accompanied by mod to strong westerly winds and freezing levels to valley bottom in the AM and 1600m on Saturday afternoon.
Snowpack Summary
On N aspects, 15-20 of loose facets overlies strong melt-freeze crusts up to 2300m. All other aspects have sun crust in the morning and moist snow in the afternoon. This buried crust provides a bridge over the basal facets which continue to remain dormant. The exception to this may be large loads such as a cornice falling on a thin snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
Cloud cover prevented solar activity in many areas Friday, and no new avalanches were reported.
Problems
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.