The avalanche danger will rise both rapidly and significantly once the melt freeze crust has melted. This process will occur earlier in the day if the crust does not refreeze well overnight, if it rains or with prolonged intense solar radiation.
Weather Forecast
A South and Westerly flow will persist until Friday. Precipitation will be limited to flurries and the chance of light rain at lower elevations. The overnight temperatures will alow for refreezing of the melt freeze crust. Freezing levels during the afternoon will reach upper treeline and should the sun come out crustal breakdown may occur earlier.
Snowpack Summary
A spring temperature crust up to 15cm thick can be found near the top of the snowpack. This crust has been found as high as 2600m in the Icefields area. In places it is buried under several inches of new snow. Wind slabs can be found at upper elevations on most aspects due to varied wind direction patterns. Cornices are large and ready to drop.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche activity has been reported today. Cooler temperatures and limited solar radiation due to cloud cover has reduced natural activity in the last few days.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
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 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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.