Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 22nd, 2014 3:00PM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Watch for decreases in stability on solar aspects when the sun comes out. A spring like problem in January... Thin areas are the likely trigger spots so be sure to avoid or make efforts to avoid these areas.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

No new snow is expected over the next 24hrs and temperatures are supposed to be warm. With clear skies and warm temps, stability will likely deteriorate on solar aspects as the day warms up.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural avalache activity over the past 24hrs.

Snowpack Summary

Not much of a change out there these days. Melt freeze crusts on solar aspects up to 2400m. Otherwise, the snowpack is generally wind affected in most open terrain and overlying a weak facetted base. Moderate sheers persist at the interface of the weak base to the upper snowpack. Generally ski quality is poor.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs can still be found at at treeline and above. These slabs may still be triggerred in certain terrain features such as gullies and convex rolls. Avoid thin weak areas.

Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Avoid unsupported slopes.>Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Persistent Slabs

Any avalanche initiating in the upper snowpack is likely to step down and involve the entire winters snowpack. Be thinking about consequence as you travel.

Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

3 - 6

Valid until: Jan 23rd, 2014 2:00PM