Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 16 – 17, 2018Parks Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 8 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map

Highlights

Winter conditions persist with more snow expected into Tuesday. The hazard is greatest near the divide where the most snow has fallen. Choose more conservative terrain and minimize overhead hazard until things have a chance to settle and bond.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    While it has been several days since there have been any confirmed events directly associated with the March 15 crust, other temperature crusts have now become buried in similar locations and are providing a good sliding layer for the new storm snow.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    20-50 cm of storm snow has fallen over the past few days with the greater amounts near the divide, and more is expected on Tuesday. This is settling quickly but wind loaded areas and steep terrain will be suspect for the next couple days.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Lower elevations may see loose wet avalanches start to occur later in the day with either temperature increases or rain as the storm finishes on Tuesday.

Weather Forecast

Temperatures will remain relatively cool for the next few days, with freezing levels up to 1800m. Snowfall amounts of up to 15 cm near the divide are expected overnight and into Tuesday with a drying trend later in the day. Winds will switch to the West and increase into the moderate range on Tuesday.

Snowpack Summary

10-15 cm of new snow with light winds. Up to 40 cm of storm snow near the divide. Several buried temperature crusts exist to 2000m on all aspects and to ridge tops on solar slopes, including the Mar 15 sun crust down 35-50 cm in the alpine. Moist snow at lower elevations, with the entire snowpack becoming moist near valley bottom.

Avalanche Summary

Some sluffing in the alpine on Monday. Reports of several natural slab avalanches out of steep alpine terrain near the divide up to size 2 in the past 24 hrs. Several skier triggered storm slabs reported near the divide at treeline and above, up to size 2 in the past 48 hrs. Loose wet avalanches up to size 2 at lower elevations in the past 48hrs.

Confidence

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

Regions covered