Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks
This is our last regularly scheduled avalanche bulletin. We will update this as needed during the next few weeks. Refer to our weather stations for current temperatures and precipitation amounts to help plan your trips. Enjoy the spring skiing!
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use extra caution on slopes if the snow is moist or wet.
- Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wet Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
New snow, intense heating or large triggers could cause wet slabs in steep terrain, possibly stepping down to deeper weak layers in the snow pack. Avoid exposure to steep slopes if the snow is becoming moist or wet.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger persistent slabs.
- Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.
Avalanche Problem 3: Cornices
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Cornice failures are occurring on a regular basis with warm temperatures, new loading or intense solar inputs. In some places these large triggers have also caused failures on the deeper weak layers in the snow pack pulling out larger slabs.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to overhead hazard from cornices.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.
Avalanche Summary
We have seen regular loose wet and wet slab avalanches up to size 3 running on all aspects in the afternoon and early evening during the warmest times of the day. Cornice failures have also been fairly regular, occasionally triggering slabs on the slopes below.
Snowpack Summary
5-10cm of new snow in the alpine on April 29th. Crust or moist snow on all solar aspects depending on temperatures. Buried temperature crusts to 2600m on all aspects and to ridge top on solar slopes. Moist snow at lower elevations, with the entire snowpack becoming isothermal near valley bottom.
Weather Forecast
The forecast for April 30th and into the first few days of May is for cloudy days with snow flurries at higher elevations and rain showers at lower elevations. Temperatures will be cooler during the day but over night freezes may be fairly minimal due to the cloud cover, except at high elevations. Freezing levels between 2000-2400 m are expected.
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Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
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Warm temperatures or rain will rapidly increase the likelihood of loose wet avalanches at all elevations. Pay close attention to the integrity of surface crusts and avoid traveling in avalanche terrain once the crusts have broken down.