Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks
Be watchful for wind slabs in immediate lee areas at high elevations. Depending on local new snow amounts and wind velocity the slabs could be touchy with wide propagations.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious with convexities and steep slopes on solar aspects.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Recent new snow and wind have created new soft wind slabs in immediate lees in the alpine.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Summary
A size 2 windslab was observed on a NE aspect at 2600m near Lake Louise today. No other avalanches were observed or reported.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 15cm in the past 24 hours that has been redistributed by moderate wind from the SW has produced wind slabs in lee areas in the alpine. The March 15 suncrust is down 30-50cm on south-east through west aspects and has been sensitive to skier triggering over the last few days. No major concerns exist below the Mar 15 crust at this time.
Weather Forecast
The weather is slowly transitioning to a diurnal cycle from the unseasonably cool spring temperatures. Expect above zero temps in the valleys bottoms (~5 degrees) during the warmest parts of the upcoming days. Monday will bring cloudy skies and very light accumulations of snow (~4cm). Wind will pick up to the moderate range from the W-SW.
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Dig down to test the bond to the Mar 15 crust, bearing in mind that the bond can vary significantly with subtle changes in slope aspect and steepness. Forecasters suspect this problem is developing with faceting on the crust due to recent cold temps.