Basal instabilities can result in large avalanches with high consequences. Thinner snowpack areas will be more touchy and prone to avalanche. Make conservative choices.
Weather Forecast
A weak system will track through the forecast region starting Thursday night, bringing up to 15cm of snow by the end of Saturday. Temperatures will remain on the warm side of seasonal. Alpine winds will increase late friday to the strong range from the SW.
Snowpack Summary
Solar crusts on some steep SE to West slopes at TL. Surface hoar development below treeline. It has become increasingly hard to find midpack instabilities in Yoho. Basal instabilities are common - not quite depth hoar, just large facets and rounded facets. Treeline depths range from 150cm to 200cm.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches observed or reported today.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.