Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Cloudy conditions should limit the amount of afternoon solar related avalanche activity, but watch locally for increasing avalanche danger on solar aspects if the sun pokes out. SH
Weather Forecast
Freezing levels to valley bottom by Friday morning rising to 2000-2200m by the afternoon. Mainly cloudy with up to 5 cm in alpine regions throughout the day Friday and generally light S winds.
Snowpack Summary
Supportive crusts on solar aspects in morning which are deteriorating by mid day. High elevation north aspects still have dry snow. Mid pack is well settled with no significant shears. The basal facets remain the main weakness in the snowpack, but we expect only large loads or a dramatic rise in temperatures to cause failures on this layer.
Avalanche Summary
Cloud cover and cooler temperatures prevented the typical afternoon solar cycle from occurring, and no new avalanches were reported.
Problems
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.