Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 5 – 6, 2019Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 7 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

While it feels like spring Below Treeline, fresh snow, strong winds and cooling temperatures will keep it feeling like winter in the Alpine through the weekend. Crusts make for rough travel up to treeline where dry snow is found on shaded aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5
    With up to 30cm of unconsolidated snow available for transport and more new snow incoming, expect the strong winds in the forecast for Saturday to lead to the rapid formation of new slabs.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    A hard slab sitting over weak facets up to 60cm down remains a concern where found: mainly on N aspects in the alpine. We have seen a few human triggered avalanches in steep, isolated features such as moraines and glacier rolls over the past week.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–1.5
    This problem is directly related to daytime heating and solar inputs. Even on a cloudy day localized solar effect can quickly change the snow stability. With new snow expected to fall over existing crusts, monitor conditions closely for change.

Weather Forecast

A series of lows will affect the region starting Friday night as the remnants of the first reaches the divide. Around 5cm is expected by Saturday morning with light to moderate SW winds that may increase to strong west by mid morning. Expect both the winds, and the flurries to continue through midday Sunday before the next low approaches.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 5cm recent snow at upper elevations. Melt-freeze crusts on all aspects up to 2000m and higher all other aspects. On North and East aspects in the alpine, up to 30cm of unconsolidated snow can be found. Below this, a stiff slab overlying weak facets remains a concern in some places and a weak, faceted snowpack, remains a concern in thin areas.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed today.

Confidence

Regions covered