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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 30th, 2024–Mar 31st, 2024

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

Regions

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

Great skiing continues!

Storm snow amounts over the past 48 hrs range from 10 to 20 cm depending on the region and convective activity.

With broken skies forecast for Sunday, the sun could increase the hazard later in the day. Start and finish early!

The more sun, snow, and wind; the more the hazard will increase.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A few small wind and storm slabs up to size 1.5 were reported during avalanche control at the local ski areas Saturday.

Natural avalanche activity was limited on Saturday, with some dry loose sluffing in steep terrain. There was evidence of a more widespread dry loose and storm slab cycle up to size 2 in the alpine during the storm.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20 cm of storm snow (depending on convective activity) over old sun crusts on solar aspects, with new solar crusts forming. On polar aspects this storm snow may sit over a layer of stellars/spotty surface hoar crystals which is worth montioring.

In shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects where the midpack is thinner/weaker, the Feb 3 facet/crust layer and the basal facets/depth hoar remain possible to trigger.

Deeper snowpack areas have few concerns.

Weather Summary

Saturday night and Sunday:

Freezing levels to valley bottom overnight. Scattered flurries taper off through the day Sunday, as an upper trough leaves the region. Freezing levels will rise above valley bottom to 1900 m. Light to moderate westerly ridgetop winds.

Click here for more weather info.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
  • Rocks will heat up with daytime warming and may become trigger points for loose wet avalanches
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.