Avalanche forecast

Waterton Lakes

Mar 27 – 30, 2014Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Good skiing out there but watch for even short periods of solar heating to raise the danger rating.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3
    70 to 110cm of snow is now settling above the early March Crusts. Variable shears persist in these slabs and they are well worth bearing in mind particularly as heating becomes more of a factor in the days and weeks to come.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    The new snow fails easily on steep slopes: Manage you group carefully and avoid confined features such as gullies.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Up to 25cm  of new snow over the March 26 interface will quickly form a slab with mild temps and the forecast winds. On solar slopes these slabs will be found over a crust and may be particularly touchy.

Weather Forecast

A series of systems continues to approach from the coast. Winds should increase Friday and diminish a bit Sunday. Temperatures look to warm up a bit for the period with peak heating bring the freezing level as high as 1850m Saturday with good overnight recovery.  Precip will be light with some clearing: watch for brief periods of intense heating.

Snowpack Summary

10 to 20 cm of new snow now buries  a solar crust from Tuesday. This crust extends everywhere except for steep shaded North slopes. At 2000m the March Rain Crusts can be found down 70 to 100cm and these crusts extend to at least 2300m. The Feb facets are generally buried deeply and are now below these crusts except in thin high elevation areas.

Avalanche Summary

A significant solar cycle occurred Tuesday with moist snow gouging down to the March Crusts at low elevations to size 2. Loose Dry activity has also been seen with at least one sz 2 running 350m. Skiers today found easy sluffing with the new snow over the 0326 crust in steep terrain.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Regions covered