Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 12th, 2016 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

jonas hoke, Parks Canada

Waterton Lakes.

Travel is fast, it's a good time to go exploring. Ski crampons may be a good idea as temperatures cool into the weekend. JH

Summary

Weather Forecast

A slight cooling is forecast for the weekend (daytime freezing levels up to 1500m), with mostly overcast skies and scattered flurries/showers.

Snowpack Summary

Ongoing warm temperatures are causing continued settlement of our aging snowpack. A surface crust has been forming overnight and re-softening in the afternoon at treeline and below. Windslabs from the extreme W winds last weekend are now difficult to trigger. Buried up to 1m is a persistent faceting rain crust which has was not been active recently.

Avalanche Summary

A few size 1.0 loose snow avalanches occurred as a result of warming earlier this week.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Flurries this weekend have the potential to be redistributed into fresh windslabs in isolated pockets in the alpine and at treeline.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1

Persistent Slabs

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Feb 15th, 2016 4:00PM