Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
Waterton Lakes.
Wind Slabs a brewing. 10-15 cm overnight tonight with strong SW winds gusting to 110km/h.
Weather Forecast
10mm of precipitation is expected overnight with the current high freezing levels dropping to valley bottom around midnight. Strong SW winds with gusts up to 110 km/h will continue until Saturday morning. Trace precipitation over the weekend with Moderate SW winds and average alpine temperatures around -10°c.
Snowpack Summary
Warm temperatures today. Moist surface snow to 1800m. Variable Snowpack depth 20-160cm. Tree line average snowpack 80cm. Windslabs will continue to build with the incoming storm cycle. There is potential for windslabs to step down to weak layers within the lower snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches observed at Cameron Lakes. One Natural Size 1 Windslab observed on a West Aspect of the Akamina Parkway.
Confidence
Wind effect is extremely variable on Friday.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.