Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

May 4 – 5, 2017Alberta Parks
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Archived · expired 9 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Attention Scramblers.  Unusual snowpack continues.  Numerous avalanches observed today on all aspects with warm weather.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–3
    Cornices are collapsing with the warmer temperatures triggering slabs on underlying slopes.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    As the snowpack warms we become increasingly susceptible to loose wet avalanches. Steep terrain and gullies should be treated with caution if the snow is moist or wet.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–4
    In general the bottom layers are still weak and suspect. Especially in the alpine and/or polar aspects. Large triggers such as a big influx of heat or a cornice collapse can wake up these basal layers.

Confidence

-

Weather Forecast

Hot weather with highs in the low 20's is forecast for the next several days.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous size 3 - 3.5 avalanches have been observed today on all aspects which started early this morning.

Snowpack Summary

Spring conditions with snow becoming isothermal with warm weather and solar radiation during the day and refreezing at night. The lower 80cm of the snowpack is still extremely weak and is subject to failure when the upper snowpack becomes isothermal. Watch out for large scale avalanches releasing to ground and going to valley bottom. 

Regions covered