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

Jan 27th, 2020–Jan 30th, 2020

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Recent mild temperatures have caused significant settlement within the snowpack over the past few days. Though the hazard is rated low in most areas, it is still possible for humans to trigger pockets of windslab in isolated areas.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Freezing level 1400m. West wind 30 gusting 50km/h.

Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level valley bottom. Strong West wind.

Thursday: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries or freezing rain. freezing level 1500m.

Snowpack Summary

Recent warm temperatures have settled the overall height of snow by 5-10%. A breakable crust exists up to 2000m and is more pronounced on solar aspects. In lee areas, a 20-70cm windslab sits over a very well settled midpack. The base of the snowpack is made up of a facet, melt freeze crust combo. The front range has significantly less snow.

Avalanche Summary

Wet loose natural avalanches up to size 1.5 occurred during previous warm period below 1600m. Estimated date Jan 25.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.