Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.
The change is here!
30+ cm of snow has fallen in the last 48 hours along the spray.
This has triggered a natural avalanche cycle. Conservative terrain choices are paramount while the snowpack adjusts with the change.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
Forecasters out today heard continuous rumbles of loose dry avalanches off steep cliff features. There was also a small soft slab in a gully feature below treeline. We expect there was natural cycle to some degree today. Zero visibility throughout the day so no direct observations while travelling.
Snowpack Summary
Friday through Saturday produced 30+ cm of snow with strong winds. The spray valley feels like winter again. This now overlies all of the previous layers from the whole of January. Hard wind affected surfaces, Facets and crusts on solar aspects. Below this is a mostly a faceted snowpack to ground. The big change is in your mindset. We are leaving the green brick, so step back, and evaluate the changing avalanche danger.
Weather Summary
Saturday: The storm produced, Finally!
20+ cm on the weather stations and the storm was quiet intense during the later part of the morning.
Sat night: 5cm more snow expected and temps dropping to -19 winds will be out of the South, gusting to 45km/h
Sunday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Day time high of -19 and overall light winds at ridge top.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.
- Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
- Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
- Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.
- Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 20 cm of new snow.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind prone features, such as lee and cross-loaded gullies could have dense wind slabs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Storm Slabs
30+cm of new snow at tree line elevations was showing storm slab properties in the field today.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Loose Dry
30+ cm of new snow is sluffing easily in steep terrain, especially where it is sitting on a sun crust.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Very Likely - Certain
Expected Size: 1 - 2