Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 12th, 2016 3:00PM

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

Alberta Parks mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

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Kananaskis.

Temps are forecast to cool and a few cm's of snow will likely fall each day over the course of the weekend.  Great time to head out ice climbing at the skiing is a bit rigged in many areas...

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Weather Forecast

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.Precipitation: Trace.Alpine temperature: High -6 °C.Ridge wind west: 35 km/h gusting to 80 km/h.Freezing level: 1400 metres.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity was noted on Friday.

Snowpack Summary

Not much a changing out there these days.  Thursdays snowfall has given us a "dust on crust on all solar aspects and all aspects 2100m that is poorly bonded to the underlying surface.  High and north are the best/only places where its likely that you will be able to find dry well settled snow.  In general, Hard windslabs dominate the alpine areas and any avalanche that is initiatied is likely to propogate far and wide across a terrain feature.  At treeline, watch for windslabs and persistent slabs in steep unsupported terrain. 

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
Persistent slabs are 35 to 80cm thick are are widespread in Alpine lee features and in more specific areas at treeline. Likely touchy in shallow snowpack areas.
Avoid areas with overhead hazard.>Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Hard windslabs dominate the alpine.  Be thinking about thin areas and wide propagations at this time. 
Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 13th, 2016 2:00PM

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