Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 2nd, 2014 8:38AM

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

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Deep instabilities remain a concern. This is not the time to ski the big line. Also, watch for periods of intense solar radiation that will rapidly destabilize the snow. The snowpack is still in winter mode, but the sun has a spring-time punch to it.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

A mix of sun and cloud is expected Thursday with occasional light flurries. Alpine temperatures will be near -3 degrees with winds light to moderate from the SW. Friday could bring 5 to 7cm of snow.

Avalanche Summary

No new naturally-triggered slides were observed today, however every other day this week we have observed a fresh large avalanche that is associated with either the Feb 10th layer or the basal facets. Sporadic activity seems to continue. Avalanche control on Mt. Buller today produced two size 2.0 avalanches and several other minor results.

Snowpack Summary

No new snow overnight. Crusts on solar aspects at all elevations which are breaking down in the afternoon if exposed to solar radiation. The Feb 10th layer remains reactive down 90 to 120cm in the snowpack. This layer is responsible for continued natural and human-triggered avalanches over the past week.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The Feb 10th layer buried 90 to 120cm is reactive to stability tests and remains sensitive to human-triggering. Large naturally-triggered avalanches have been occurring on a daily basis, primarily triggered at Treeline.

Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches.>Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Apr 3rd, 2014 2:00PM