Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Apr 2nd, 2023–Apr 3rd, 2023

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

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

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

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

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

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Northern aspects are skiing great, especially with incoming snow and cooler temps. Valley bottom's should be good travel while they stay frozen in the earlier hours.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A small flight though highway 40 and the spray today noted no new avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

Flurries last night have hidden the sun crust, anything with a hint of solar exposure now has a 3-5cm crust. Valley bottom is still unsupportive underneath the crust. The surface crust extends to alteast 2200m and even higher on south and southwest slopes. At about 2000m there's a bit more structure and the snowpack is supportive. This is where the trouble layers start to become more apparent. The weak facet and depth hoar is down about 60-80cm at treeline and the weak basal layers are down about 120-150cm. Today was ongoing convective flurries but minimal accumulation along the spray valley.

Weather Summary

Tonight and Monday will continue to be snowy with an anticipated 10-15cm. Day time highs will be -10 and the winds Southeast @ 15km/h

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.
Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.

Avalanche Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

Thin, shallow areas or heavy triggers are what will set this layer off. Avoid terrain with those characteristics. Intense solar radiation and daytime heating may wake up this layer.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 2 - 3.5

Persistent Slabs

There are two layers of concern here: 1) a buried sun crust (on solar) and facets (on polar) down 20-40cm, and 2) a facet/depth hoar layer down 80-100cm that was buried mid season. These layers have become more active within the recent additional snow load, and are more prone to triggering during periods of intense solar radiation.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5