Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 25th, 2021–Apr 26th, 2021

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Preserved powder remains on high North aspects providing great ski conditions.

Click the "More Spring Conditions details" link found below for information on various spring condition scenarios.

Weather Forecast

Clearing trend starting Monday will continue through the week. As this ridge of high pressure develops, upper elevation winds will increase. We can expect 2000m freezing levels Monday, though it might feel much warmer on Southerly aspects.

Snowpack Summary

10 to 25 cm of low density snow has buried crusts on all aspects to 2200 m and to ridge top on solar slopes. There are several persistent layers in the mid to lower snowpack that are likely only a concern on alpine north facing terrain where no crusts are found in the snowpack while temperatures remain cool.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity observed or reported Sunday. The clearing trend this week will increase the loose wet avalanche activity. This will likely begin with releases of surface snow above the crust and as temperatures increase later in the week we could see deeper loose wet avalanches.

Confidence

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.

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.