Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 18th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
AB,
Avalanche Canada
Forecasted cooler temperatures and cloud cover will improve conditions (unfortunately not the ski quality).
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
Although little activity was observed or reported, today likely marked the tail end of the warm weather. The ski areas reported isothermal snow conditions below treeline. Sunshine patrol reported ski-cutting size 1 loose wet avalanches in the afternoon.
Snowpack Summary
Moist snow up to 2600m on all aspects and higher on solar aspects. Only high north aspects hold dry snow. 40-90 cm of settled snow overlies weaker facets above the Feb 3 interface which is a crust up to at least 2500 m. The base of the snowpack consists of weak facets. Deeper snowpack areas (west of the divide) are more settled and dense.
Weather Summary
The high-pressure system will leave the area tomorrow followed by increasing cloud and cooling temperatures. A few centimeters is expected by the end of the day tomorrow. The wind velocity will be variable between moderate and strong, from the West. More snow is expected in the following days.
For more details on the weather, click here.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Uncertainty is best managed through conservative terrain choices at this time.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
40-90cm of settled snow overlies weak facets on the Feb 3 interface, which is a crust in most areas. Many natural, human, and explosive-triggered avalanches have occurred on this layer during the recent warm spell.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
Many recent avalanches have stepped down to the weak facet and depth hoar layers near the base of the snowpack resulting in large avalanches. This seems to be most common in thin, steep, rocky terrain in the alpine.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 19th, 2024 4:00PM
