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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 17th, 2024–Jan 20th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

Hazard will be highest on Friday with an increase in wind. There is lots of fresh snow available for transport, choose ski lines carefully.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed

Snowpack Summary

10cm new snow overlies old windslabs. This sits on facets and melt-freeze crust. A thicker (5cm) layer of facets exists in more sheltered areas below treeline. In windy areas in the alpine and treeline windslab and settled snow may sit directly on the crust with little or no facets. This overlies a melt freeze crust complex and a generally more stable base of the snowpack. Areas close to the divide have the best snow coverage.

Weather Summary

Thurs

Skies clearing. Light to moderate E wind. Alpine High -15

Fri

Cloudy with flurries, temps increase to -2 during the day. Strong SW winds

Sat

Cloudy with flurries, temps around zero. winds Strong SW.

For more info see: Mountain Weather Forecast.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.