Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 20th, 2015 3:00PM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Winds and temps are forecast to increase on Saturday. The snowpack may begin to get a bit more reactive to skiers in open terrain.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Temps will be warming slightly and winds will begin to increase out of the NW into the moderate Range. No new snow is in the forecast until Monday Evening.

Avalanche Summary

One sz 2 avalanche was observed on a NE face on Mt Black Prince. The avalanche was approx 24hrs old and initiated in steep rocky terrain at 2800m. It was hard to estimate a depth due to the distance.

Snowpack Summary

Wind affect is being observed in Alpine terrain along ridgelines and cross loaded features. Field observations on Friday show that these slabs do not extend that far downslope but that may not be the case in other areas. Highwood area had reports of widespread wind affect and a highly variable snowpack while areas closer to the divide seem to have had less wind affect and a slightly less variable snowpack. Overall the snowpack continues to settle and strengthen and the sheers within the storm snow are starting to tighten up and become less reactive. We were able to locate the 1105 Surface hoar 10-15cm off the ground at treeline today but no sheers were noted at this interface.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are beginning to tighten up and become less reactive but with the winds forecast to increase on Saturday, they may become more reactive to skiers.

Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Avoid cross loaded slopes at or above treeline.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Nov 21st, 2015 2:00PM