Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 2nd, 2019 3:00PM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Cold temps continue... When snow finally does come, it will be falling on a widespread weak snowpack.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Slightly warmer temps on Sunday but still cold with a lack of wind. Ensure you are on a solar aspect if you head outside...

Avalanche Summary

Only isolated sluffing from steep terrain up to sz 1 on solar aspects later in the day. There was also a MIN regading a Sa sz 1.5 on Mt Indefatiagable on Friday that involved the upper snowpack running far and fast on top of an underlying suncrust. Be aware of fast sluffing in steep terrain as you ski.

Snowpack Summary

Continued cold temps (-40C Saturday morning) are rotting out the snowpack at lower elevations. Below 2000m in many areas its not supportive at all. At treeline and above isolated pockets of windslabs should be expected along ridgelines and in crossloaded features. These slabs are 10-20cm thick and reactive to skier triggering. The do not extend far downslope at this time but if winds increase we can expect these slabs to become more specific to widespread. The bit of heat we are seeing is triggering loose dry slides on solar aspects later in teh day.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are being found along ridgelines at treeline and above. In most areas they are resting on a thick layer of facets and could be easily triggered in unsupported terrain. Cracking was observed by forecaters in Alpine terrain on Friday.

Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking. Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

This problem is a "low probability, high consequence" situation. While difficult to trigger, if the layer does fail it will result in a full depth avalanche.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

1.5 - 3

Loose Dry

Watch for solar triggered loose dry slides later in the day on Sunday

Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain, particularly where the debris flows into terrain traps.Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.

Aspects: South East, South, South West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Mar 3rd, 2019 2:00PM