Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 29th, 2015 3:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Wind affected snow up high, soft snow in sheltered areas. This is a good time for the bigger circuits, but don't expect much for ski quality in the Alpine.

Summary

Confidence

High - Due to the number and quality of field observations

Weather Forecast

The weather pattern is pretty stable at the moment. Wednesday will be a mix of sun and cloud with no precipitation. Temperature in the Alpine should reach a high of -10 Â°C with light winds from the north. A warming trend will begin on Thursday. There is no precipitation expected in the foreseeable future.

Avalanche Summary

Several small wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 have occurred on steep N, NE and E aspects in the Alpine over the past 72 hours. These slides are between 10 and 20cm thick and have generally not run very far down slope.

Snowpack Summary

Surface facetting due to cold temps and clear skies. Several snowpits through the region toady show a fairly consistent snowpack story, characterized by low density surfaces, generally solid midpacks and deteriorating basal layers (with some basal facets and depth hoar developing). The existence of the Dec 4th persistent weak layer is variable, and no compression test results were found in any of the snowpits today. In the Alpine thin wind slabs are fairly dominant, particularly in lee and cross-loaded features. Some recent naturally triggered avalanche activity has occurred with these wind slabs.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Watch for thin wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain at upper elevations.

Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features>Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.>Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Dec 30th, 2015 2:00PM