Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 13th, 2024–Mar 14th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Regions

North Rockies, Sugarbowl, East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Tumbler.

Strong wind will likely build reactive wind slabs.

Rider and remote triggering of large avalanches are an ongoing concern. Choose conservative, low consequence terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, a few natural wind slabs on north facing slopes and persistent slabs on south facing slopes up to size 1.5 were reported. Numerous explosive controlled persistent slab avalanches up to size 3 were triggered on northerly aspects at treeline and above.

We expect wind and persistent slabs to be rider triggerable. Avoid solar slopes when the sun is out.

Snowpack Summary

A melt-freeze crust may exist on the surface up to 1400 m and higher on steep south facing slopes.

At treeline and above, the recent storm snow is being redistributed by ongoing southerly winds, leaving widespread wind-affected surfaces in exposed terrain and wind slabs on leeward terrain.

A thick and hard widespread crust that formed in early February is buried about 50 to 110 cm deep. This crust has a layer of facets above it in many areas.

The eastern portion of this region is much shallower with a highly variable and wind-affected snowpack.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries 5-10 cm. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5°C. Freezing levels 1200 m.

Thursday

Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries 5-10 cm. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures near -1°C. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud. 40 to 60 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures near above zero degrees. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.

Saturday

Sunny. 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures above zero degrees. Freezing level rising to 3000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Choose conservative terrain and watch for clues of instability.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

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.