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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 4th, 2024–Apr 5th, 2024

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

"Variability" is the operative word for evaluating avalanche hazard at the moment.

The hazard, avalanche problems and conditions are heavily dependent on time of day, weather inputs, elevation and region.

If at the local level, the weather inputs are greater than expected, use an extra degree of caution in your decision-making.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Sunshine ski hill reported skier controlled wind slab avalanches up to size 1 at ridgetop on leeward aspects. Lake Louise reported an explosive triggered old windslab size 2 out of steep terrain. No other avalanches were observed or reported.

Continued sporadic avalanches have occurred in the last week on the Feb 3rd layer, specifically around Lake Louise and on Cathedral Mountain.

Snowpack Summary

Precip amounts throughout the region have been highly variable in the last 24 hours. 10-30cm of generally moist snow has fallen in the past 48 hours and overlies moist snow below ~2200m, and crusts above. Dry snow can be found on polar aspects above ~2400m and in the high alpine.

Our main concern for persistent layers is shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects where no crusts are found in the upper snowpack and the midpack is thinner/weaker.

Weather Summary

Thurs Night: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Light to mod winds from the East. Alpine high -4°C, freezing level valley bottom

Fri: Cloudy with sunny periods, trace precipitation. Alpine temperature high of 0°C. More cloud and precip to the East. Freezing level 2200m

Sat/Sun: Mix of sun and cloud, low of -6°C, high -2°C. Light winds switching to the West. Freezing level 2100m

Click here for more weather info

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 25cm of new snow.

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 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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.