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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 18th, 2021–Feb 21st, 2021

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Increasing SW wind continues to build wind slabs with variable reactivity. Use caution as you transition in to wind effected terrain.

Weather Forecast

Friday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Alpine high -2. Moderate SW wind with strong gusts.

Saturday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Alpine high of -4. Moderate to strong SW wind.

Sunday: 15-30cm of snow with freezing levels rising to 1600m through the storm. Moderate SW wind with gusts up to 120km/h.

Snowpack Summary

Southwest winds have returned building wind slabs which sit over a layer of facets. Facet layer has developed over a variety of hard surfaces including old wind slab and a deteriorating melt freeze crust below 1900m. Mid snowpack has become faceted, especially in shallow areas east of Cameron Lake.

Avalanche Summary

Ski cut's produced size 1 loose dry avalanches in steep sheltered terrain and size 1 wind slabs in on lee slopes.

No new natural avalanche activity observed.

Confidence

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.