Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 13th, 2015–Apr 14th, 2015

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Recent wind slabs have put a damper on the ski quality. Sheltered areas on north aspects are the best bet right now. Click here for a link to the No Rating explanation.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Overnight freezing levels will be 1700m. Alpine overnight lows will be around -3. Tomorrow will bring moderate SW winds with gusts hitting 50km/hr at ridge crest. The high will be -1 with some light cloud cover. Solar radiation may be a concern. Convective flurries will bring some snow, but not much.

Avalanche Summary

One isolated slab was noted below a cliff in the alpine, sz1.5 on an east aspect. Late day loose wet avalanches are suspected on steep solar aspects. Forecasters left the field before the heat of the day reached its peak.

Snowpack Summary

Storm snow amounts vary with altitude and aspect. At treeline there is 30-40cm of new snow sitting on top of the midpack crusts. Within this storm snow there is a distinct windslab. Tests today had an easy shear down 12-15cm's. This surface wind slab problem is generally widespread, however the density is variable. Wind transport has been significant at all elevations. Alpine transport is ongoing with prevailing winds from the west. Localized wind patterns have created widespread windslabs in the alpine.

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.