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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 19th, 2022–Apr 20th, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Recent snow and strong wind Tuesday has bumped up the hazard creating fresh windslabs on underlying crusts. Snow amounts vary across the region and with elevation. Time to take a step back in terrain choices.

Weather Forecast

Up to 5 cm is forecasted for Tuesday night bringing storm totals to 10-20 cm coupled with strong SW wind. Wednesday, as the system departs, expect cloudy skies with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Temperatures will remain cool (-4C for an alpine high for Wednesday)

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of new snow fell on Tuesday with strong SW wind. This overlies the previous surface of 10-20 cm of facetted snow over a varying thickness crust that exists on all aspects except high elevation north (>2500m). There is widespread wind effect in the alpine. Multiple crusts exist within the mid-pack on all aspects/elevations except high north.

Avalanche Summary

Poor visibility today, but we suspect some natural avalanches to have occurred. Ski hill forecasters report ski cutting touchy wind slabs 10-40 cm thick on all aspects that ran far for their size on underlying crusts. Cornices continue to be of concern with several natural and skier triggered cornice failures occurring over the past week.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

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.

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.