Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 30th, 2016 8:36AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Loose Wet, Deep Persistent Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Temperature at Burstall Pass was 8 degrees and loose wet avalanches were widespread and the skiing was heinous. This week will see more warm temperatures so give the snowpack time to cool off before considering any real ski touring objectives.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Tomorrow the freezing levels will be slightly lower, down to 2200 meters. Light northwesterly winds. No precipitation. Mix of sun and cloud.

Avalanche Summary

Widespread loose wet avalanches up to size 1.5 observed today on all steep slopes. No cornice or slab avalanches observed yet.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is taking on a great deal of heat with the high freezing levels. Moist snow observed today on all aspects, limited observations on north but suspect moist snow to 2500 meters, possibly higher. The upper snowpack was exhibiting surface instabilities on steep slopes. The snowpack is highly variable but at treeline, it is a complex array of crusts in the upper snowpack from the warming events in February and March and the January 6th facets which are buried up to 110cm deep. In the alpine, the snowpack is again highly variable in depth and distribution making detection of the shallow areas critical.

Problems

Loose Wet

Expect the loose wet problem to accelerate when the sun comes out and depending on what kind of freeze materializes overnight.

Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. >Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

North and east aspects at treeline and alpine will continue to be suspect with the recent warming. Avoid big avalanche path runouts and give the big terrain a miss until a substantial cool down happens.

Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Avoid exposure to solar aspects overhead, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.>Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

3 - 6

Persistent Slabs

This is a time when the snowpack has taken a great deal of heat and if temperatures and/or solar impact hits the steeper slopes, the heat in the snowpack will likely induce large destructive avalanches.

Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Avoid steep, open slopes.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Mar 31st, 2016 2:00PM