Avalanche danger will rise on Thursday with the incoming storm. Watch for sensitive wind slab ridge crest and non typical areas lower in terrain.
Expect travel delays on the Icefields Parkway Friday due to avalanche control. Check AB511 for updates.
Sustained SW winds and new snow overnight into Thursday continue to build new wind slabs in lee and cross loaded features. Slab development not isolated to ridgecrest and can be found low in terrain features from the strong to extreme winds Dec 21.
This problem is trending toward unreactive but our current snowpack structure means this layer could wake up with a large trigger or rapid loading. Use extra caution in thin areas were humans are most likely to trigger this high consequence layer.
Thursday:
Flurries
Accumulation: 14 cm.
Alpine temperature: High -8 C.
Ridge wind southwest moderate to strong.
Freezing level at valley bottom.
Friday
Flurries.
Accumulation: 4 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -23 C, High -14 C.
Ridge wind west: light gusting to 20 km/h.
Arctic ridge taking over into the weekend with mega frigid temps kicking in...
5-10cm of recent snow with moderate to strong SW winds contributing to wind slab development in the alpine and on exposed terrain features at treeline. The mid snowpack has settled well with a deteriorating rain crust present up to 1950m. Cold temperatures and a crust/facet layer near the base of the snowpack continues to promote basal faceting.
One size 2 natural avalanche observed late yesterday initiating low in the start zone of one of our frequent flyers in the Parker slabs - wind slab up to 60cm deep with impressive propagation (100m) - did not make it far.
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