Regions
Banff Yoho Kootenay.
The hazard is now moderate but remember that moderate is not 'good to go'. Sensible terrain choices are required irrespective of hazard ratings. The snowpack structure at the base is still lousy and confidence in its overall strength is suspect.
Weather Forecast
A weak disturbance passage today will give rise to another upper ridge of high pressure that will build in for the remainder of the week. Cold air will move in briefly on Saturday but will not linger for too long. Freezing levels will rise to 2100 meters for Monday. Little precipitation is forecast anytime this week.
Snowpack Summary
The upper and mid sections of the snowpack continues to settle out and with exception of the Little Yoho, much of the rest of the Rockies snowpack still has the basal facet and depth hoar weaknesses component intact. Temperature crust present below 2000 meters northerly aspects and solar crusts are present to higher elevations and steeper slopes.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported today.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations on Saturday
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.
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.