Elevated avalanche danger may exist in your local riding area, so be alert to changes in the snowpack at higher elevations.If you were out in the backcountry please send your observations to the Mountain Information Network. Give info, get info.
Weather Forecast
The arctic air mass dominates the region bringing the coldest temperatures of the season. Wednesday will see a mix of sun and cloud with alpine temperatures near -20 and ridgetop winds light from the East. Thursday will be slightly unstable with a mix of sun and cloud and flurries. Alpine temperatures near -22. The next low will move into the Interior Friday with periods of snow and alpine temperatures near -15. Ridgetop winds will increase with strong gusts.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche observations have been reported. New storm slabs may be touchy to rider triggers and loose dry sluffs from steeper slopes may have the potential to knock you off your feet, so watch for terrain traps below.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 30 cm of recent storm snow has buried old snow surfaces including surface hoar hand old, stiff wind slabs. This new snow may have a poor bond to those underlying surfaces. Early season snowpack observations are still limited in the region but the threshold for avalanches has been exceeded at treeline and in the alpine. Kananaskis Country to the north and Waterton to the south of the region is currently reporting 30-50 cm of snow overlying the mid-November crust layer. Conditions are likely similar in the South Rockies.
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.