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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 24th, 2025–Apr 25th, 2025

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

Regions

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

Another sunny day is expected Friday, with freezing levels reaching 2800 m. Avalanche hazard will start as Low, but the alpine rating reflects the highest expected over the day —start and finish early.

Click the link for advice on dealing with spring conditions

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches besides minor wet loose slides out of steep solar terrain were observed Thursday, and no other avalanches in the past few days.

No avalanches reported on the persistent weak layer since the last warm-up on April 18th, when there were 2-3 size 2.5 avalanches off Pilot Mtn.

Snowpack Summary

Hard surface crusts exist to ridgetops in the AM on solar aspects, and at treeline and below on northerly aspects. The top 10-20cm was moistening at the ski hills in the afternoon.

North alpine slopes hold 5 - 15 cm of dry snow over firm surfaces. The March 27 crust is 30-70 cm deep and extends to about 2500m on North slopes, reaching ridge top on solar aspects.

Below the settled mid-pack, weak facets and depth hoar remain.

Weather Summary

Friday: There should be an overnight freeze to start the day, with freezing levels rising to 2800m in the PM, light winds, and plenty of solar input.

Saturday: There will likely be a weaker freeze in the morning, and freezing levels could possibly go above 3000m in the PM, with light winds and sun.

See table below for more details.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

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.

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.

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.