Avalanche forecast

Waterton Lakes

Apr 4 – 5, 2013Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

This is the end of our regular forecast season. Avalanche hazard will persist. Hazard will be higher with heating from rain or sun and will be lowest during cool periods. Spring storms may also bring a return to winter at upper elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    With warm temperatures, solar heating, or rain to upper elevations cornice failures will occur. These are large triggers and have the potential to create larger avalanches. Minimize your exposure especially during rapid warming.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Depending upon the inputs of heat from rain or sun this activity can be expected everywhere. Travelers must carefully monitor surface conditions and be clear of slopes before crusts break. Use extra caution if there is moist snow over buried crusts.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Shallow snowpack areas hold weak mid and lower layers. These areas will be more susceptible to failure with heating but have failed with large loads (such as cornices or loose avalanches) acting as the trigger.

Weather Forecast

None provided for the extended period however visitors may call Waterton Lakes National  Park Reception on weekdays at 403 859 2224 for more detailed information. Generally: watch freezing levels closely to determine where heating and weakening of the snowpack is likely by the sun and rain. If more snow arrives watch the bond to the surface crusts.

Snowpack Summary

A surface crust exists on all aspects and at all elevations. The strength of this crust varies with location as it freezes with cooling and weakens with heating. In thin snowpack areas weak layers persist that were created by earlier faceting of mid and basal snow. Weak moist snow may fail as point releases or as slabs over crusts or weak layers.

Avalanche Summary

With strong solar inputs a daily cycle of superficial LOOSE WET AVALANCHES spread to affect all elevations and aspects earlier this week.  This same heating also caused many CORNICE FAILURES. A few notable slabs were triggered by cornice failures (large loads) in THIN SNOWPACK AREAS where weak snow has developed in the mid and lower snowpack.

Confidence

Regions covered