Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Good travel conditions and LOW hazard but not a lot of soft snow left other than pockets of high elevation N facing terrain. Still a strong snowpack for this time of year but use caution in wind affected areas and watch for early season hazards.
Weather Forecast
Moderate SW winds and mild temperatures will continue with valley bottom high temperatures reaching 6-8 degrees. Some precipitation is forecast Saturday and Sunday but freezing levels will remain high.
Snowpack Summary
Recent winds and warm temperatures have created isolated wind slabs in the alpine and a temperature crust on all but the highest North facing terrain. The snowpack at 2000m is between 40-60 cm deep and generally supportive and strong. Moist snow on solar aspects in the afternoon.
Avalanche Summary
Not much avalanche activity in the past few days. Watch for isolated wind slabs in the alpine.
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.