Kananaskis

Monday will be a transition to slightly warmer temperatures. Approach the alpine with the possibility that wind slabs are present. Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas.

Several small point releases were observed in the alpine on the road patrol today.

With the cold weather, the forecasters have only been able to make observations from the road for the last few days. Surface faceting is on-going with the cold temps. Last weeks snow came with some wind but the wind slabs have likely broken down some with the cold temperatures. A spotty surface hoar layer down 30-40cm is worth investigating. The December 5th melt/freeze crust is down approximately 50-70cm down and is an important layer to track, especially in shallower snowpack areas. The basal facets will be with us for the season and are mostly a concern for triggering in shallow snowpack areas. Expect good skiing in sheltered areas.

Monday is forecast to be sunny, -35c first thing in the morning, and then warming up to a high of -22c. Winds will be light in the morning and then increase mid-day to 30km/hr from the NW.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
• In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.