Avalanche Forecast
Regions: East Kakwa, Pine Pass, Tumbler.
Wind slabs remain a concern. Be cautious in wind-exposed terrain.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
2 large wind slab avalanches were reported in the region on Saturday.
Strong northeast winds have reverse-loaded terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Exposed areas are highly wind-affected. In sheltered areas, up to 20 cm of soft snow overlies a surface hoar layer. In sun-exposed terrain, the snow overlies a thin crust, while elsewhere it sits atop a mix of old wind-affected surfaces and weak, faceted snow.
A widespread crust with facets and/or surface hoar, buried in mid-January, is approximately 30 to 70 cm below the surface.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well consolidated.
Weather Summary
Saturday night
Mostly cloudy. 30 to 60 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -30 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 30 to 60 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -27 °C.
Monday
Scattered cloud. 20 to 60 km/h northeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -25 °C.
Tuesday
Clear skies. 30 to 50 km/h east ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -20 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid slopes that sound hollow or drum-like.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs are becoming harder to trigger, but remain a concern.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3