Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 9th, 2018 5:10PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is high. Known problems include Deep Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.

Timothy Johnson, Parks Canada

Waterton Lakes.

Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Temperatures will warm up Saturday with clear skies and moderate to strong West winds. Sunday the temperatures will drop during the day with light North winds and some snow, 5cm.

Snowpack Summary

There is a weak facet layer deep in the snowpack that has been producing large avalanches in Waterton with the new snow load. Expect windslabs to build during Saturday.

Avalanche Summary

There have been large several large to very large avalanches in and around Waterton on Thursday and Friday clearing mature timber running to ground.

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

Very large avalanches of been running to this layer at the bottom of the snowpack clearing mature timber in the valley bottom

Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2.5 - 4.5

Wind Slabs

Forecasted winds will move around the new snow creating wind slabs that have the potential to step down to deeper layers in the snowpack.

Minimize overhead exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind.If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Loose Dry

Avoid travelling on ledges and cliffs where sluffing may have severe consequences.Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1

Valid until: Feb 12th, 2018 4:00PM