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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 15th, 2024–Apr 16th, 2024

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

Regions

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

10-20 cm of new snow and cooling temperatures will bring back winter for the 4th (or 5th) time this winter :)!

Forecasted snowfall amounts are uncertain, with some models/ locations showing up to 40cm!

More snow will equal higher danger - adjust accordingly!

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Cooler temperatures and cloud cover on Monday kept avalanche activity to a minimum.

During the past weekends warm temperatures and sun, many avalanches stepped down to the Feb. 3/basal facet layer (See photos). These were a combination of solar triggered or cornice triggered on polar aspects.

There were also several reports of skiier triggered windslabs in high northerly aspect terrain.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm is forecasted to fall by Tues AM. This will cover widespread moist snow/crusts on solar aspects and lower elevations and wind effect on high north aspects. Cooling temps will freeze up this buried moisture over the next few days.

The midpack is well settled down to the Feb 3 persistent weak layer which remains a concern in shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects. In these areas, no crusts are found in the upper snowpack and the midpack remains thin and weak.

Weather Summary

Winter returns with a low pressure system coming in from the NW:

Monday overnight: 5-10 cm in most areas but possibly 15-30 cm in some areas. Moderate SW winds switching to NE. Freezing levels lowering to valley bottom.

Tues: Snow tapering in the AM (lingering on the east side). Moderate NE winds.

Wed - Thurs: Clearing and drying. Temperatures remain cold.

For more information click here

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.

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.

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.