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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 7th, 2022–Apr 8th, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Likely a poor freeze Friday AM, and it is hard to estimate the danger ratings for these conditions. Watch locally for how much freeze occurs and for wind slabs in the alpine. Cooler temperatures are coming next week which should improve conditions.

Weather Forecast

There will likely be a poor freeze overnight into Friday with a slight temperature inversion. Alpine winds will increase into the strong range, weakening over the course of the day. Timing us uncertain, but snow will begin as the passage of a cold front moves in mid-day. So far 5-15cm is expected. Cooler temperatures arrive Friday night onward.

Snowpack Summary

15-20 cm of soft, dry snow sits on a firm crust on N aspects down to at least 2000m. On solar aspects a series of crusts exist in the snowpack at all elevations, starting to break down on Thursday with warming. Windslabs exist in immediate leeward areas of ridges, and are still capable of being triggered.

Avalanche Summary

FIeld trip near Sunshine Village on Wednesday observed a size 1.5 windslab/cornice on a SE aspect and a fresh cornice failure on the N side. Some other reports from Lake Louise backcountry and below the Bow Hut in last 24 hours of wind slabs being triggered up to size 1.5 in the alpine.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Friday

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 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.