Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 9th, 2026–Apr 10th, 2026

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Alpine

Spring Conditions

Treeline

Spring Conditions

Below Treeline

Spring Conditions

Regions

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

Spring Conditions Exist. The avalanche danger will be Low in the morning and then increase throughout the day as things warm up.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Small loose wet surface avalanches out of steep terrain were observed in the afternoon on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

Sun/temperature crusts exist on all aspects to 2300 m, and to ridge tops on solar aspects. These crusts will break down with afternoon heating. Shady aspects hold dry, settled snow above 2300 m. The January 24 persistent weak layer (facets over crust) is down 70–160+ cm and has been unreactive this week. Below this, the snowpack is generally strong with no significant weaknesses.

Weather Summary

A ridge of high pressure prevails through Saturday bringing clear sky's, lots of sun and high day-time freezing levels.

Friday: Expect a decent freeze Thursday night followed by freezing levels rising to 2600m during the day. Winds will be light from the west..

Saturday: Clear in morning, becoming cloudy in afternoon. Freezing levels rising to 2700m. Light SW winds.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Start your day early and be out of avalanche terrain during the heat of the day.
Travel early on sun-exposed slopes before cornices weaken with daytime warming.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.