Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Little Yoho.
We may see a slight rise in hazard on Saturday afternoon due to solar inputs and the alpine temperature inversion. Keep this in mind if you are in confined terrain with slopes above you in the sun. Watch for wind slabs, and enjoy the sunshine!
Weather Forecast
The inversion will continue Friday night and into Saturday with warmer alpine temperatures of around -6 C, cooler treeline temperatures, and valley bottom temperatures as low as -18 C. Alpine winds will increase Saturday into the strong range out of the WNW which should keep things cool. Skies should remain clear.
Snowpack Summary
Extensive wind effect in the alpine and some treeline elevations. 20-40 cm of soft faceted recent storm snow in sheltered areas over the Feb 15 interface. The Jan 30th surface hoar/sun crust layer is down 35 to 70 cm and variable in distribution and reactivity, producing hard sudden planar to no results in snowpack tests.
Avalanche Summary
A remote cornice failure triggered a size 3 avalanche in Kootenay National Park on Wednesday. On Thursday, the local ski areas reported a few small wind slab avalanches up to size 1 with explosives control. No new natural avalanches observed or reported over the last couple days in the Little Yoho region.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Sunday
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs exist in the alpine and some tree line locations that may be possible to trigger in steep terrain. They are sitting on a variety of surfaces including old wind effect, surface hoar, sun crusts and facets.
- Watch for surface cracking and stiffer surface layers of snow.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2