Climbing freezing levels and rainfall are driving HIGH avalanche danger. Steer clear of avalanche terrain until the storm passes and conditions stabilize.
SW winds and additional precipitation will continue to build slabs, especially in the more predictable leeward and cross-loaded areas at treeline and above.
A 60-100 cm slab overlies mid-pack facets and our limited snowpack tests (Mt. Field only) indicate a generally strong snowpack close to 200 cm deep at treeline. Uncertainty remains high as it’s unknown how the weather system will specifically materialize and impact the snowpack.
No avalanches were observed or reported in Little Yoho, but we are on the cusp of another cycle due to warming and rain.
15-20 cm of heavy moist snow has been blown into windslabs up to 40 cm deep in leeward areas at treeline and in the alpine. This adds to the dense slab, 70-100 cm thick, overlying a 20-30 layer of faceted crystals. We have no recent snowpack tests to confirm the strength of this layer in Yoho, but in thicker snowpack regions such as here, the facet/depth hoar basal layer is less prominent than it is east of the divide.
Freezing levels are rising, with moderate precipitation expected to bring another 10 cm of snow by Wednesday morning. Rain is likely at lower elevations. Winds will be variable and somewhat unpredictable, potentially reaching strong speeds from the southwest. Taken together, these factors point toward an avalanche cycle.
