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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Dec 27th, 2020–Dec 30th, 2020
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Waterton Lakes.

Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas, but uncertainty still surrounds deeper weak layers and they warrant a cautious approach. This is especially true as you leave the deeper snowpack immediately around Cameron Lake.

Weather Forecast

Monday: Cloudy with flurries, alpine high -7, light westerly winds

Tuesday: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Similar wind and temperatures.

Wednesday: Similar weather to the previous days, with an inversion forming, and winds increasing.

Snowpack Summary

Snow depth is highly variable, with scoured windward slopes in the alpine, and windslab from SW winds. The Cameron Lake area has seen much less wind affect treeline and below. Dec 22 crust is down 5-20cm below 1900m, Dec 9 crust is not very prominent, down 20-80cm. The midpack is well consolidated with an ice crust forming the base of the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches observed on Sunday. On Saturday a larger avalanche was observed along the Akamina Parkway where either a windslab or cornice failure had stepped down to a midpack weak layer, likely the December 9 crust.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Strong winds have stripped windward slopes and created windslabs in lee areas. This appears to be less of a problem at treeline and below in the area immediately around Cameron Lake.

  • Watch for shooting cracks or stiffer feeling snow. Avoid areas that appear wind loaded.
  • Best conditions found on sheltered aspects.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Uncertainty still exists around the December 9 persistent weak layer in our region. It can be found down 30-80cm, and may respond to large triggers such as smaller avalanches or cornice failures in deeper areas, or humans in shallow areas.

  • If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Avoid travel on slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Unlikely

Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5