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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 6th, 2024–Apr 7th, 2024

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

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Windslabs in alpine terrain should be expected near cols and crests of features. Snow quality is mostly a miss right now with the warm temperatures and lack of good overnight freezes. This will improve as the clouds start to part and colder temps move in early next week

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No field teams today, A flight over the Northern part of the park showed pin wheeling from steep solar aspects in the new snow.

Snowpack Summary

20-40cm of recent snow (40cm on the eastern side of the range) is overlying a temperature crust that developed early in the week. This crust is being found up to 2300m and while supportive to skiing, its sitting on top of a generally moist snowpack. Crusts are common on the solar aspects but less so on the more polar sides. There are some isolated windslabs in alpine areas along ridgelines but this problem does not appear to be widespread. Recent snow combined with cloudy weather hasn't allowed the snowpack to get a significant refreeze that is common for spring time.

An important thing to consider at this time of year is the quality of the freeze overnight. Over the past 2 days, freezes have been generally poor with overnight lows only around -8C. Avalanche danger can change from low in the cool mornings to high in the hot afternoons. The timing of this change is important to monitor so plan you trips with these factors in mind.

Weather Summary

Sunday will bring a lot of the same. A mix of sun, cloud and warm temps. Winds will be a bit stronger out of the West. Freezing level to 2100m

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

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.