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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 6th, 2021–Apr 7th, 2021

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

Kananaskis.

Wednesday will start off clear before a storm moves in later in the day giving us 20-25cm and strong SW winds. Watch for the winds to increase ahead of the front and make the upper snowpack more windslabby. Start EARLY if you headed out and beat the heat!

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing, track, & intensity of the incoming weather system.

Weather Forecast

A cold clear night is forecast overnight tonight with a clear morning on Wednesday. As the day progresses a system will move into the region giving us up to 20cm of snow by Thursday morning. Winds will be strong Wednesday out of the west with the arrival of the front. With spring, when the sun is out watch for intense solar radiation to decrease the stability on the solar aspects.  

Avalanche Summary

A recent sz 2 avalanche on Mt Sparrowhawk that was cornice triggerred was 40-200cm deep and ran for close to 200m crossing the regular uptrack. This was one of the deeper avalanches that has occurred recently. There were also a few loose wet avalanches on steep solar aspects later in the day. 

Snowpack Summary

Winds were light on Tuesday and as a result there wasnt much change in the current snowpack structure. 10-12cm of snow is overlying a variety of different snow surfaces in the alpine with isolated windslabs at cols and crossloaded features. With winds increasing on Wednesday, these slabs may become more reactive and easier to find. Surface snow was moist by midday on solar aspects. At treeline and below travel is fast in the morning on surface crusts and mushy in the afternoon. Early starts with careful consideration of overhead hazards already in the sun is critical.   

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid steep convex slopes.
  • Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.
  • Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.