Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Dec 22 – 23, 2018Alberta Parks
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

More natural avalanches were seen today. The snowpack is very slow to adjust to the new snow. Give it more time than usual and be patient.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5
    Forecasters are still experiencing whumpfs and cracking on the Dec 10th interface down 60-70cm at treeline. Cold temps will stiffen up the slab and make it easier to trigger.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1.5–3
    Some of the recent larger avalanches may have involved this layer. Keep an eye on it and use your probe to help find and assess it often.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous avalanches were seen, or witnessed directly today. They were all in the alpine on eastern aspects. Notables from the last 24hrs are:-sz3 , alpine bowl on Mt Murray. Initiated at ridgeline and cleared out the entire bowl but also crossed onto the face adjacent to the bowl.-sz2-3 on Snow Peak. 3 individual slides were noted on the same piece of terrain. Individually they were sz2's, but there is a chance they all started and ran together, which would make it a sz3.-several sz2's on different mountains. All these started at treeline with wide propagations.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Another evening of cold temps tonight. Tomorrow will see a slight warming trend that will carry on into next week. Overnight low of -17. Mostly clear skies and no snow tonight and tomorrow. Moderate winds at treeline from the SW.

Snowpack Summary

Wind continues to have the most influence on our snow pack right now. Wind slabs are widespread in the alpine, and are likely dense (1 finger). Gullies are noticeably crossloaded and most are fat with new deposited snow. Treeline is similar, but the windslabs are a softer(4 finger). The amount of avalanche activity seen today suggests the Feb 10 layer is more pronounced at this elevation band. Windslab thickness also varies. Fresh avalanche crowns tell us these slabs can be up to 1m thick.

Regions covered