Waterton Lakes

A thick surface crust has formed all aspects and all elevations making travel and skiing poor. Solar slopes in the high alpine may soften on Saturday during an inversion and even become isothermal. Pay close attention to the solar impact if the crust breaks down in the afternoon.

Moderate

• Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.

No new avalanches observed since surface crust formed on Thursday.

Surface snow at all elevations become moist last week and is now refrozen into a thick surface crust.

The mid pack consists of settled snow, with the late December crust down 65-90 cm deep.

The lower snowpack is refrozen rain effected layers, which are still moist at ground in places.

Sat

Sunny with increasing ridge wind up to 50km in the afternoon. Strong temperature inversion in the alpine above 2200m with temps of +5°C possible.

Sun

Overcast with alpine temps falling to -10°C through the day. Winds 25km/h NE with chance of light flurries

Mon

Broken skies, alpine high -2°C. Winds increasing to 50km/h with another alpine inversion possible

Current weather forecast: Mountain Weather Forecast

• Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.