Avalanche forecast

Banff Yoho Kootenay

Apr 27 – 28, 2015Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Tuesday afternoon looks warm with a weak freeze in the AM. If you are going out, start really early and be back before noon when the temperatures are forecasted to be at their peak!

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    We expect multiple cornice failures on Tuesday with the warming temperatures. Each cornice that falls will have a higher chance of triggering the basal weaknesses as the temperatures rise.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    We will start to see in increase in solar triggered avalanche activity on Tuesday as the temperatures rise during the day.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Warm temperatures will likely awaken deeper layers and trigger some large avalanches on Tuesday afternoon.

Weather Forecast

Warm temperatures and clear skies on Tuesday with freezing levels rising to 3000m by 11 am. Tuesday night, a cold front will pass through with 5-10 mm of precipitation (some rain at lower elevations) and winds switching to the west. Wed and Thursday look to be partly cloudy with minimal precipitation and freezing levels dropping to 1500- 2000m.

Snowpack Summary

Recent strong winds have blown dry snow on N aspects into hard windslabs in exposed terrain. Cool temps have kept sheltered high elevation N aspects dry; however warm temps over the next few days will change that. Crusts on all other aspects. The basal facets remain dormant though a large cornice load or intense heat may change this.

Avalanche Summary

A few solar triggered slides off of steep solar aspects today. No other avalanches seen or reported.

Confidence

Regions covered