Warming temperatures and rain on the weekend will increase the avalanche danger at all elevations.
Weather Forecast
A warm westerly front will pass into the forecast area on friday and saturday with warming temperatures and snow flurries. Highs of +3 in the northerly lower elevation regions of the park with the freezing levels reaching 1,900m. Cooler temperatures can be expected around the Icefields. Strong alpine winds can be expected on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
Variable wind slab on lee features at treeline and alpine elevations. Variable snowpack depths, particularly in the alpine, with pockets up to 1m deep. October's rain crust is sporadically distributed but forecasters are still investigating this condition. Last weeks North winds have loaded slab snow onto South aspects.
Avalanche Summary
Patrol on Tuesday observed two avalanches 24 hours old. Size 2-2.5 at 2800m cross-loaded SE to S aspect feature on what appears to be the Oct raincrust 40-50cm down. Suspect solar trigger.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday
Problems
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.
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.