Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Ski quality has gone "downhill" since the recent winds and cold temps. Only the most sheltered trees will have decent powder. SH
Weather Forecast
We will switch to a Westerly flow on Sunday with gradually warming temperatures and increasing winds over the next few days. Current forecasts are only predicting a few cm of snow Sunday and Monday, with more accumulations possible on Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
Sun crust on solar aspects with extensive wind effect at all elevations. 25-40cm of snow sits on top of the Feb10th layer comprised of facets, surface hoar, and on solar aspects a sun crust. Recent tests range from easy to hard with a sudden collapse at this interface. A fairly well settled midpack overlies the dormant basal depth hoar, facets.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported or observed today.
Confidence
Problems
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.