Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
The avalanche hazard has been slowly decreasing but continue to watch for small avalanches in steep terrain, especially where there has been previous wind effect. Sluffing is also becoming an issue as the surface snow facets. Have a Merry Christmas!
Weather Forecast
The arctic air continues to be entrenched over us for the foreseeable future. Lows will be in the low -20's with highs in the -16 to -14 range. Expect light to moderate winds from the NW and sunny skies. A few flurries are forecast for Wednesday but no significant accumulations are expected.
Snowpack Summary
15-30 cm of recent storm snow is facetting quickly with the cold temperatures and starting to sluff more easily in steep terrain. Some wind effect in alpine lee areas. The Dec.15 layer of surface hoar (at tree-line and below), sun crust or facets (depending on location) is down 15-30 cm and some moderate shears have been observed on this interface.
Avalanche Summary
A few small thin wind slabs and loose dry sluffs out of steep terrain have been reported over the last couple days. These have been a result of increased alpine winds, as well as ski cutting or explosive work in steep terrain.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.