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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2024–Apr 6th, 2024

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

Regions

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

With another spring-like day in the forecast, conditions will remain highly variable.

The hazard, avalanche problems and conditions are heavily dependent on new snow amounts, wind and solar inputs. Start early, finish early.

If the weather inputs are greater than expected, use extra caution in your decision-making process.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Today we had reports of solar-triggered avalanches up to size 1.5 out of steep alpine terrain. While ski hills reported skier-controlled avalanches to size 1 on all aspects of the alpine.

Sporadic avalanches have occurred in the last week on the Feb 3rd layer, specifically around Lake Louise and on Cathedral Mountain. Parties out touring recently are also noting whoomphing in shallower snowpack areas.

Snowpack Summary

10-30 cm of generally moist snow has fallen in the past 72h and sits on the early April crust. Recent warming will have created new surface crusts well into treeline on all aspects and as high as 2500m on solar. Polar aspect should still hold dry snow treeline and above.

Our main concern for persistent layers is shallow snowpack areas on northerly alpine aspects where no crusts are found in the upper snowpack and the midpack is thinner/weaker.

Weather Summary

Fri Night: No precip, alpine Low -4 °C with ridgetop winds in the light range. Freezing levels at valley bottom.

Sat: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, potentially 5 cm of new snow (regionally variable). Alpine high of -5 °C, with freezing levels climbing to 2000m. Light winds out of the NW.

Sun: Mix of sun/cloud and minimal snowfall. Light winds and an alpine high of -8 C.

Click here for more weather info.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 25cm of new snow.
  • Remember that in the spring strong solar radiation and warm temperatures can weaken the snow in a matter of minutes.

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.

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.