Little change in weather and snowpack this weekend. Cornice failure is a concern although we have not seen evidence as of yet. Stay well back from corniced ridge lines.
Weather Forecast
The weather on Sunday will be cloudy with snow flurries throughout the day producing light accumulation (5-10 cm). Winds will be moderate to strong from the West and temperatures will be seasonable.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is faceting and losing strength especially in shallow areas. At tree line and above, the mid-pack is generally supportive where the snow depth is greater than a meter. Wind slabs are present in lee features at upper elevations. Surface hoar is developing with the cool overnight temperatures and light valley bottom winds.
Avalanche Summary
Avalanche patrols were conducted on both the Maligne Road and the Icefields Parkway. No new avalanches were observed.
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.