Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 25th, 2021–Feb 26th, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis.

There seems to be huge amounts of variability regionally when it comes to snowpack character at the moment. What we're seeing in our specific forecast region (Smith Dorrien corridor) may not apply to neighboring areas. 

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

It looks as though the winds will relax and take a break tomorrow. The ridgetop winds will drop from 30km/hr to about 15 by tomorrow afternoon. they'll generally be out of the west, but we are expecting them to briefly shift to the east over night friday. -14 for tomorrow morning, but warming to -7 as a day time high. There are some flurried expected, but not a lot of accumulation. Only a few centimeters.

Avalanche Summary

Nothing was seen today, but skies were obscured in many areas. There could have been a small cycle in the alpine as the winds started.

Snowpack Summary

We often have a distinct weather pattern each season, and this year it is abnormally strong winds. Last night and earlier today we had alpine gusts at over 150km/hr, and valley bottom winds in the 30-40km range. Needless to say, there's yet another layer of wind slabs in open areas and widespread wind effect near ridges. Lots of exposed rock and gravel out there right now too. Having said that, there are still sheltered areas that but up to the main ranges that will likely hold snow.  

Terrain and Travel

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
  • Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.