Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Jan 4 – 5, 2017Alberta Parks
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche hazard is slowly improving, but slabs remain sensitive to human triggering. Cautious terrain selection is still in order.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Mostly 10cm thick slabs in open areas at all elevations.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–3
    This persistent slab is dense and is sitting on top of a 10cm weak facet layer(Dec 18th). If this layer fails, it has the potential to entrain large amounts of snow and/or trigger the deeper November crust.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Triggering is more likely in shallow snowpack areas and rocky features. The Nov crust is buried 60 to 90cm at Treeline elevations.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Thursday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Temperatures will be near -15 °C with light westerly winds. No precipitation is expected for the rest of the week.

Avalanche Summary

In the past 36hrs there have been a few naturally triggered slab avalanches have been observed in Alpine and Treeline terrain on S and SE aspects up to size 2.0. Some of these slabs have stepped down to the Dec 18th layer or the Nov crust layer.

Snowpack Summary

Little change over the past 24hrs. Widespread wind slabs up to 10cm thick in Alpine areas from normal and reverse wind loading. Evidence of recent natural avalanche cycle stepping down to Dec 18th interface and the Nov crust layer in some areas (such as Highwood Pass). Cold temps continue to draw out what little strength is left of the low elevation snowpack.

Regions covered