Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.
Small refreshes of snow are welcomed. Remember its only November and hazards such as rocks and logs are just covered.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Lots of snow moving around with the wind, but no visible slab activity,
Snowpack Summary
10-20 cm of new snow with warm temps and rapid settlement has fallen over the past 24hrs. This new snow is overlying a variety of snow surface from crust on solar aspects, to facets on more northern aspects and hard wind slabs in many areas. Due to the warmer temps during which this snow fell, this snow should bond to the underlying surface fairly well. The hazards that were evident yesterday are now just buried under the snow surface. Watch for windslabs in alpine terrain especially where the new snow is overlying the weaker surface facets. Telling depths are still fairly low for this time of year with only 50-70cm of snow at treeline.
Weather Summary
Colder air is coming along with 10cm of snow and Cloudy sky's. Moderate SW winds gusting in to the strong range.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
- Ice climbers should be equipped with avalanche safety gear.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Watch for newly formed wind slabs at tree line and in the alpine
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Dry
All terrain is holding storm snow and sluffing off.
Caution to ice climbers with over head and in gully's or terrain traps.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5