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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Feb 18th, 2018–Feb 19th, 2018
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Regions: Kananaskis.

Some areas have extensive windslabs down into treeline while in some areas there is less affect.  Forecasters are still avoid large overhead features that havent released.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Cold temps, light northerly winds and no new precip is the theme for the next few days!  Be on slopes with a solar aspect to make the day more enjoyable!  -26's are a theme for the next few days.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity was observed.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of recent snow is overlying windslabs in some areas that are up to 30cm thick.  These windslabs seem to be very variable in terms of extent and location.  On Saturday only minimal slabs were encountered at treeline and then on Sunday in the Heros Bowl area, windslabs well down into treeline caused forecasters to turn around.  Where these slabs are being observed they are failing in the easy to moderate range down 20-40cm.  Deeper in the snowpack the December and January layers can still be found.  Hard results in snowpack tests that are sudden planar in nature indicate that this layer may be getting harder to trigger, but if it goes it will be a large avalanche.  In general these layers are down 100-140cm so be curious and dig and examine.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Widepsread windslabs in Alpine terrain and more variable at treeline locations.  Some areas there has been winds well down into the timber and others not so much.
If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2.5

Persistent Slabs

Hard and sudden planar results are being observed on this layer down in general 120cm.  Its getting harder to trigger but will result in large avalanches.
Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls at treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1.5 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Recent avalanche activity has shown the potential for avalanches to step down to this layer.
Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 2 - 3.5