Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/cond_e.asp?oid=30728&opark=100092Please continue to avoid avalanche terrain. While natural avalanche activity has tapered, human triggering will continue to be likely. Solar releases can be expected from rocky terrain.
Weather Forecast
Colder temperatures will continue through Sunday into the start of the week with little precipitation in the forecast. Wind values will be at threshold for snow transport Saturday night and will die down by Sunday morning. Light cloud cover Sunday with clearing skies for Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Recent storm accumulation of 25-50cm is beginning settle, forming a sportive upper snowpack. The three main mid pack concerns which are the Jan 16th, Jan 6th, and Dec.15 weak layers. These are a mix of facets, crusts and surface hoar and can be found 70cm to over 150cm deep in the snowpack and have producing very large results.
Avalanche Summary
The bulk of the recent avalanche cycle has tapered off. Although less activity has been observed Saturday, reports of the odd size three are still coming in. All avalanche terrain is still highly suspect, and should be avoided.
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.