Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks
This is our first big warmup - the hazard will be Low in the morning and rise to Considerable on solar aspects. Northern aspects will stay at a lower hazard. Cornices overhead may start to fail, and could potentially trigger deeper layers.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Expect loose wet avalanches to initiate from steep rocky terrain. Watch for increasing hazard associated with prolonged sun affect.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, there was a skier involvement in a size 1.5 windslab avalanche (30-40 cm thick, 50 m wide, ran 200m) on a lee slope above Bow Summit. Also noted were some loose wet avalanches to size 1.5 caused by the sun in steep rocky terrain below treeline.
Snowpack Summary
Last weeks storm of 10-25 cm sits on a supportive midpack. The surface snow has had some wind transport in the alpine forming thin wind slabs .A sun crust has formed on solar aspects at treeline and below. The deeper facet layers down 80-150 cm remain weak and are currently dormant, but could become active with the warm days ahead.
Weather Forecast
Our first major warming trend will occur over the next several days. Expect sunny skies and temperatures to get incrementally warmer with each day, peaking on Tuesday/Wednesday. For Saturday, expect treeline highs to be around -3C, winds light from the SW and freezing levels to be around 1600 m.
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Alpine West winds have formed wind slabs in lee areas near ridge crests over the past week. In steep unsupported terrain skier triggering is possible.