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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2022–Jan 23rd, 2022

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

Regions

Kananaskis.

Keep an eye on daytime heating and solar input. If these factors are significant, then avalanche danger will rise. Deeper instabilities could produce large avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Another nice day is expected for Sunday with mostly sunny skies and a high between -5 and -1. Winds will be strong from the NW and no precipitation is expected. Freezing levels are forecasted to be near 1700m, but steeper solar aspects will feel the punch of the sun.

Avalanche Summary

Minor pin-wheeling on steep solar aspects at lower elevations on Saturday afternoon. No new avalanche activity observed or reported.

Snowpack Summary

Moist snow on some solar aspects (that will be frozen into a crust Sunday morning), but this was limited somewhat by wind and occasional clouds on Saturday. Widespread wind effect and wind slabs in the alpine and open areas at treeline. In sheltered locations up to 15cm of lower density snow overlies previous surfaces, which gives acceptable skiing. The Dec crust layer down 100 to 140cm is faceting and produces moderate to hard shears. Forecasters continue to keep a close eye on this persistent weak layer, despite a long spell of no activity associated with it. If/when it re-awakens, large avalanches are possible.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Be aware that wet activity at low elevations is a classic situation for step-down failures in deeply buried persistent weak layers.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to the presence of a persistent slab.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.

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.