Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 23rd, 2019–Dec 26th, 2019

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

This is a dangerous time. We are through the storm and natural activity will begin to taper off, but the potential for large avalanches running to the valley bottom remains. Human triggering of avalanches is likely.

Weather Forecast

Freezing levels will remain will sit around 1600m today, and slowly descend through the week. Light flurries are expected with strong westerly winds monday morning easing off in the evening.

Snowpack Summary

60cm+ of wet snow and rain in the Cameron Lake area has arrived with extreme northwest winds and a freezing level around 1900m, critically loading the snowpack. A weak crust facet combo formed in November is down 60cm, and additional crust/facet layers formed in October form the bottom of the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

A widespread natural cycle was observed on Saturday along the Red Rock and Akamina parkways, with avalanches to size 2 in the storm snow and some larger ones failing on deep persistent weak layers. A size 3 natural avalanche occurred on Mt Bertha early Sunday morning covering the Bertha Falls trail in debris.

Confidence

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.