MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🎄
Santa is delivering another round of snow and wind for the holidays, putting added stress on the snowpack once again.
Intermittent closures for Avalanche Control are planned on the Icefields Parkway at Parker Ridge on December 25. Expect delays starting between 10:00 - 15:00
Refer to 511 alberta for updates
Ongoing moderate to strong transport redistributing new snow from the past week, resulting in significant loading (and reloading) of lee features across a range of aspects.
Plenty of soft snow is available for loose dry avalanches, especially as moderate to strong winds move snow into gullies and steep features. Ice climbers should watch for overhead hazard, as even small sluffs can have serious consequences.
December 19th avalanche control along Icefields Parkway produced very large, destructive, deep persistent slab avalanches. This problem encompasses multiple weak layers of facets, crusts, and basal facets from November and December.
Weather station maintenance flight on December 23rd showed a widespread avalanche cycle across the bulletin region at all elevations. Many prone slopes appeared to cycle early in the storm and have since reloaded.
Over 100 cm of snow fell in the past week, with strong winds redistributing snow and loading lee slopes. The upper snowpack has ~70 cm over a weak facet layer from December 7. A deeper November 10 weak layer remains about 30 cm above or close to the ground. Snow depth is 140-200 cm in the Icefields and ~100 cm at Bald Hills, where the snowpack is weaker and more faceted.
Potentially up to 20cm or more by Dec 25th. Thursday will see sunny skies with cloudy periods and an alpine high -6 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 45 km/h.
FridayExpect to see another pulse of snow with up to 10 cm. Alpine high -8 °C. Ridge wind light to 15 km/h.
