Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Waterton Lakes.
New snow will offer a slight refresh to the skiing. Be aware the most recent crust is just below and may prove challenging skiing and a slippery bed surface.
The Best turns will likely be had on mellow slopes.
Weather Forecast
Tues: Cloudy with no forecast precip. Winds switching from N back to S-SW and increasing to moderate through the day. Alpine high -6, FL valley bottom.
Wed: Cloudy with an alpine high of -4. Strong winds tapering in the afternoon. FL valley bottom
Thurs: Clearing with an alpine high of -5. Moderate winds and valley bottom FL. No forecast precip.
Snowpack Summary
10-15cm of storm snow is being redistributed by L-M winds into new windslabs ALP/TL. Jan 18 crust extends all aspects up to 2000m. ALP consists of hard windslab in lees and stripped to ground in scoured areas. Well settled midpack over facets above Dec 4 crust down 150-200 cm. A 20-60 cm thick Nov melt freeze crust complex completes the snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
No new naturals observed during today's small storm. Two small natural windslabs observed in treeline terrain on Saturday.
Confidence
Wind speed and direction is uncertain
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Be cautious around deeper areas of wind transported snow. N winds may have loaded features in irregular ways.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially in steep confined alpine terrain.
- Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5
Persistent Slabs
No avalanches observed on this layer in two weeks. Would need a very large load to trigger.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely
Expected Size: 2.5 - 4