Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
New windslabs and growing cornices in the alpine should be treated cautiously.
Weather Forecast
Moderately cool temperatures and light precipitation is forecast. Winds may be locally gusty as convective cells pass through.
Snowpack Summary
Below treeline the snow pack is a thick melt-freeze crust.10-20 cm of new snow in the alpine is forming wind slabs on east and north aspects. The midpack above treeline is well settled and overlies a weak facetted base. These basal facets have not been reactive recently, but should still be considered when making terrain choices.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported today.
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.