Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 4 – 5, 2022
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate

Highlights

There's a lot of variability in the avalanche conditions right now, ranging from frozen crusts and low danger to dry windslabs in the alpine with sluffs and cornice falls. Alpine areas near the Divide are where the highest danger exists. Be ready!

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2

    New snow amounts are extremely variable and but high alpine areas have seen fresh snow and wind over the past 48-hours which will have formed windslabs.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    This is generally an afternoon problem at low elevations. Ice climbers should ensure tare finished their routes early and be out of any gullies by mid-day at the latest.

Weather Forecast

2-5 cm more snow is expected to fall overnight Monday before the storm abates making for a total of 10-15 cm from this system. Limited freeze expected in the valley bottoms on Tuesday morning and cloudy most of the day. A ridge of high pressure will build into the area on Wednesday making for a nice day on Thursday,

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of 24-hour sits on on melt-freeze crusts that can be found on all aspects up to ~2300m and higher on solar aspects. Variable snow depths, and some areas up high on the Divide report up to 30 cm dry surface snow. Consistent winds have formed fresh windslabs. Some loose wet avalanches are expected in afternoons at low elevations.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous avalanches were reported: Cornice on Kindergarten Couloir, avalanche on the Stanley Headwall, sluffs with a partial burial on the Bell Couloir, sluffs on Mt. Victoria. The common thread here is high alpine terrain.

Confidence

Regions covered