Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 24th, 2018 3:04PM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

A few cms of new snow is incoming overnight but this will not be enough to cause a significant change in danger levels. A few large avalanches this past week indicate the basal layers may be starting to wake up.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.Precipitation: Trace.Alpine temperature: High -6 °C.Ridge wind west: 30 km/h gusting to 55 km/h.Freezing level: 1500 metres.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity was observed over the past 24hrs. Visibility was limited.

Snowpack Summary

Light flurries were falling throuhgout the day on Wednesday but there was very little accumulations by 1600. Not much is changing out there right now. Widespread windslabs in the alpine should be expected and these windslabs even extend down into treeline in some areas. At treeline and below there are a few surface hoar layers in the top 1m of the snowpack that skiers need to be aware of. Being down less than 1m, they are within the realm of skier triggerring. Use caution in unskied areas, and in steeper or unsupported slopes. THe Nov crust is also a basal layer that we are starting to see sporadic activity on these days. Treat large alpine features with caution.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are everywhere in the Alpine and at Treeline, except on windward aspects. Several recent avalanches have occurred associated with this problem.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopesBe careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

Numerous buried weak layers are causing some concern at Treeline. Avalanche activity observed in the past 2 days initiated in the upper snowpack and then steeped down to the persistent slabs.

Avoid convex rolls at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.Carefully evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 25th, 2018 2:00PM