Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 27th, 2013 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Loose Dry and Loose Wet.

Snow Safety, Parks Canada

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Sunday will see little overnight freeze and continued strong winds. Watch for touchy wind slabs and sluffing in bigger alpine terrain. SH

Summary

Weather Forecast

Continued strong westerly winds Sunday with slightly cooler temperatures (freezing levels 1500m overnight) and light flurries or showers West of the divide at lower elevations.Â Expect little freeze again below treeline. Sunday evening through to Monday expect 10-15cm of snow along the divide with freezing levels dropping throughout the day.

Snowpack Summary

Rain below 1900m with no freeze overnight.Â Strong to extreme SW winds (up to 133kmh on Mt. Bosworth) in the alpine have created pockets of wind slab on lee features.

Avalanche Summary

Limited observations Saturday due to poor visibility but no newÂ avalanches reported

Confidence

on Sunday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Fresh wind slabs have likely formed in lee features . These new wind slabs will be sitting over previous wind slabs which can still be triggered in steeper terrain, especially where they overly a crust.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

Watch for heavy sloughing where powder overlies harder bed surfaces. In steep terrain, this could push you over a cliff or into a terrain trap.

Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Wet

Rain below treeline and no overnight freeze means wet avalanches are possible. Steep, gullied terrain that still has enough snow to slide will be the features of most concern.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Apr 28th, 2013 4:00PM