Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 16th, 2017 3:16PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is considerable. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

matt.mueller, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

It is recommended to avoid all avalanche terrain for the time being. This includes the below treeline runout zones of avalanche paths.

Summary

Confidence

Weather Forecast

Winds will pick up tonight to the 40km/hr range. Tomorrow will be mainly cloudy with flurries. The winds will calm down to 25km/hr. High temp of -6 at treeline with a freezing level at valley bottom. Saturday we are expecting another 25-40 cm of snow with winds upward of 100km/hr!!

Avalanche Summary

Several new (past 12hour) storm snow avalanches were noted today. They were widespread at treeline and alpine and were up to sz3. Yesterday's action was also impressive with many large avalanches starting in the alpine and running full path. Every avalanche involved the deeper, basal layers.

Snowpack Summary

20-30cm of new snow in the last 48hrs. This snow came in quickly and came to rest on rain soaked snow at low elevations and a warm snowpack at higher elevations. This made for an immediate storm slab that was touchy and widespread. Today, that slab has settled and become less reactive. The other chapter to the story is the rapid loading from the new snow. The snowpack was forced to adjust quickly which created another avalanche cycle at treeline and above. The deeper trouble layers are not taking to this adjustment well. The natural cycle is tapering, but the snowpack is still extremely touchy. Winds are picking up today which is adding to the wind slabs and cornice development.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are widespread in Alpine and Treeline terrain on all aspects. Depending on the area, there may be multiple buried slabs.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Any avalanche initiated in the upper snowpack could step down to the weak basal layers resulting in a very large avalanche. Last night's snow added a significant load to this layer.

Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger the deep persistent slab.Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.Be aware of the potential for wide propagations.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Mar 17th, 2017 2:00PM