Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Good skiing and travel conditions continue, though the sun is beginning to pack a punch on S aspects. With the winds moving the recent storm around up high we have left the alpine rating at Moderate for another day.
Weather Forecast
Tuesday should see treeline temperatures rising from -15 to -5'C during the day. Alpine winds are expected to be in the light to moderate range out of the West. Some cloud cover and light flurries are forecasted with occasional sunny breaks.
Snowpack Summary
Variable amounts of low density storm snow (10-25 cm) now sit on top of a supportive mid-pack. The higher amounts of storm snow are in the southern region. Light wind effect in the alpine. Sun crust forming on some steep solar aspects. The deeper facet layers down 80-150 cm remain weak but are presently difficult to propagate.
Avalanche Summary
Sluffing and thin storm slabs up to size 1.5 were observed in steep alpine terrain today, including some solar triggered sluffs out of rocky areas. One small skier triggered wind slab was reported on a cross loaded feature in the Lipalian Chutes outside the Lake Louise ski area. One size 2 natural avalanche was observed, possibly cornice triggered.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Problems
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.