Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks
Touchy windslabs and winloaded open areas are best avoided for a few days. Even open areas below treeline are being affected.
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.
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could trigger slabs.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
As the new snow increases the load over the March 15 crust on solar aspects we may start to see avalanche activity on this layer. If the facets below the crust also fail, larger propagations will be possible.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.
Avalanche Summary
A skier accidental in the Sheol Valley indicates the need for continued vigilance. Poor visibility limited observations today.
Snowpack Summary
Moderate to strong SW winds are creating wind slabs in alpine and treeline areas and beginning to overload cornices. 10-20 cm of recent snow sits over a melt freeze crust on solar aspects with some facets at the crust interface. In shallow snowpack areas the basal facets remain quite weak and may be susceptible to triggering with large loads.
Weather Forecast
Temperatures will remain below freezing with moderate to strong west winds and light snow. More precipitation is expected Friday.
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Wind slabs and wind effect will continue to be a problem.