Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Expect poor isothermal conditions below tree line. Better overnight recovery is expected on Monday night.
Weather Forecast
On Monday, freezing levels should remain below surface, which will contribute to improving conditions and making triggering less likely. On Tuesday, a clearing pattern will provide opportunity for the sun to come out which will raise temperatures during the day and provide solar input to South and West aspects late in the day increasing the danger.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20cm of moist snow sits over top of a crust that was formed last week. Many places below 2000m expect to find an isothermal snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
Today 3 size 2 avalanches were observed in the Vernillion Slide paths in Kootenay. The recent moist storm snow likely slid on a crust that was formed last week.
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Wednesday
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Wet Slabs
Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.