Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Waterton Lakes.
Weather Forecast
Not much change can be expect through Wednesday with continued flurries and freezing levels below 1600m. On Thursday a low reaches the coast straight from Hawaii. Freezing levels are expected to approach 2100m with heavy precip and strong winds. An arctic high on the prairies will make predicting freezing levels and precip amounts difficult.
Snowpack Summary
West winds have created new windslabs above the Jan 31 crusts that extend nearly every where except on shaded aspects above 2300m. Above 2000m on the shaded aspects concern for the Dec facets and crust layer remains with technicians still finding sudden shears down 40 to 80cm. Hard crusts are the dominant travel condition: bring your ski crampons!
Avalanche Summary
Technicians traveling near the divide today found new windslabs above the hard crust to be sensitive to ski cutting. Otherwise, no activity has been seen in the last few days since the snow refroze after last week's warm up.
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Storm Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2