Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Banff, Banff Yoho Kootenay, East Side 93N, Field, Kootenay, LLSA, Lake Louise, Little Yoho, Sunshine, West Side 93N.
While the snowpack remains very thin for this time of the year, be wary of venturing into deeper areas where wind deposition has developed slabs over a weak base.
Early Season Conditions persist.
Little change will occur with conditions until winds pick up on Monday.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported or observed on Saturday.
A size 2.5 avalanche in Redoubt Bowl near Lake Louise slid on the October crust/facet layer earlier in the week.
Snowpack Summary
Thursday's storm snow has settled to 10-20cm and is distributed in an upslope pattern. Only trace accumulations are found west of Castle Junction.
This snow overlies a previously wind-scoured snowpack with a suncrust on south and west aspects.
The bottom of the snowpack consists of weak basal facets that are associated with crusts in some locations.
The snowpack is 30-50 cm deep at treeline with many areas below threshold. 40-80 cm at most in the alpine.
Weather Summary
Light north winds will persist Sunday as some cloud cover develops. Temperatures will cool a bit with treeline highs reaching -10C and valley bottom lows as cold as -20C overnight. Alpine temperature inversions are likely.
Winds are forecast to shift to the west late Sunday and increase into the strong range through Monday.
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Terrain and Travel Advice
- Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.
- Ice climbers should be equipped with avalanche safety gear.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
Areas that held snow through late September and early October are the main concern. Many are wind-loaded pockets that are the deepest out there and while these may seem attractive: be wary of a stiff mid-pack sitting on basal facets which are sometimes associated with a melt-freeze crust.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5