Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
Some welcome new snow has arrived but the strong winds it has come with have quickly developed windslabs in alpine and treeline areas.
Weather Forecast
Another shot of snow may clip the forecast area tonight as a low passes with amounts in the 5 to 15cm range. Winds will spike again from the SW before everything settles down near the end of the day . Cooling with diminishing winds looks to be in the cards through to Monday.
Snowpack Summary
15 to 30 cm of new storm snow has arrived with gusty West winds in the past 24hrs. Below this 15-30 cm of recent snow on top of a supportive (5-10cm) crust found everywhere except on high N slopes. The bond to the crust seems strong in most places and the crust generally sits over a strong base for now.
Avalanche Summary
Easy skier triggering in the Sunshine Backcountry today at and above treeline including windslabs have that developed since the weekend, and fresh windslabs formed with the new snow. Natural loose dry activity was seen all day in steeper lee areas along highway 93 some of which may have involved small slabs.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is 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 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.