Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
High freezing levels (3800m!) and poor overnight recovery are expected until Thursday. Time to get the mountain bike out of the garage.
Weather Forecast
Freezing level will climb to 3800m and remain there until Thursday based on our weather models. Little overnight recovery will occur if this becomes true.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is enduring repeated freeze/thaw cycles. The last few days the overnight freeze was substantial but this will change as of today. Avalanche danger predominantly relates to temperature under these conditions (spring).
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches observed or reported today however it is likely that afternoon loose/wet avalanches are a daily occurrence.
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.