Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Waterton, Waterton Lakes.
A blip of new snow coming on Tuesday with strong winds will form new reactive windslabs. Despite it being spring, winter conditions still exist at higher elevations and northerly aspects.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Numerous wet loose avalanches to size 2 were observed on steep solar slopes the past few days.
Snowpack Summary
15 - 30 cm of new snow from this past weekend has become moist at and below treeline and is refreezing overnight. This along with windslab in the alpine sits on an older melt-freeze crust at all aspects and elevations. The Feb 3rd crust/facet weak layer is buried 60-120 cm deep. Below this, the snowpack consists of a mixture of settled snow and crust/facet layers to ground. Snowpack depths between 80 - 250 cm.
Weather Summary
Tues
5-10 cm snow overnight and into the day Tues. Wind 30-50 km/hr from the SW and freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Wed
Mainly sunny, wind NW becoming SW 10-20 km/hr. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.
Thurs
Freezing level 2500 m. Light southwest wind.
For more info: Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
New snow with strong SW winds on Tuesday will form small but reactive windslabs on top of old windslab or crust.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5
Loose Wet
When new snow from Tuesday gets warm and moist on Wednesday there will likely be widespread wet-loose avalanches on steep slopes that run on the underlying crust.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5