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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2014–Mar 23rd, 2014

Alpine
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, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Conditions are slowly improving but human triggering is still a very real possibility. This is NOT the time to ski large terrain features.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Between 5 and 10cm of new snow is possible by Sunday afternoon. Temperatures should reach -10 degrees with moderate West winds.

Avalanche Summary

A few naturally triggered sluffs have been observed in the past 36hrs up to size 1.5. These occurred on all aspects in steep Treeline and Alpine terrain. A report was received late this afternoon of a skier-triggered avalanche on Mt Engadine. Details are still sketchy, but it sounds like this event occurred on a West aspect at Treeline.

Snowpack Summary

No new snow overnight. Recent storm snow of 20 to 25cm is settling despite the cool temperatures. Soft wind slabs between 20 and 40cm thick have formed in the Alpine, but these seem relatively well bonded to the previous surfaces. The Feb 10th layer persists down 80 to 110cm and continues to give highly variable test results.

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.