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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 5th, 2024–Feb 6th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

10-20 cms of recent storm snow has fallen with little wind, improving ski quality. If the winds pick up, this will sluff easily in steep alpine terrain!

Continue to use caution on larger slopes in the alpine and at treeline since our persistent avalanche problems have not left us.

Confidence

No Rating

Avalanche Summary

Forecasters in the Sunshine and Lake Louise ski areas as well as a team in the Bow Lake area saw some small windslab and loose dry and avalanches to size 1 out of steep alpine terrain. A size 2 was observed in the Sunshine backcountry that initiated as a small windslab and stepped down to the persistent layers underneath.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of storm snow with light winds has improved the ski quality at upper elevations. This new snow sits on a recently formed crust, which is widespread at all elevations, except for north aspects above 2500 m. The cooling temperatures have improved the stability of the mid-pack, but the January persistent facet layers down 20-50 cm, and deep persistent facet and depth hoar layers at the base of the snowpack, are still present at treeline and above.

Weather Summary

A couple of weak disturbances will bring light snow, generally light winds and freezing levels below valley bottom over the next few days:

Tues: Trace to 5cm new snow depending on location. Alpine winds may pick up to moderate from the SW.

Wed: Trace of new snow

Thurs: Trace to 5 cm new snow depending on location.

For more mountain weather click HERE.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.

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.

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.