Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 6th, 2014 7:38AM

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

matt.mueller, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Avoid large alpine or treeline features. The snow has settled well, giving moderate angle slopes good skiing. Cautious use of terrain will offer great skiing.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

We can expect the temperatures to rise over the next few days. For the Spray Valley we'll see above zero temps during the day. Alpine temps will stay cool, hovering around -8. Luckily there will be some cloud and flurries to block the sun and its increasingly strong UV. Alpine winds will remain in the strong range until the week-end. For Saturday they'll spike to the extreme levels (100km/hr @ 3000m). Starting Sunday, we are expecting another pulse to bring another 20cm's.

Avalanche Summary

No new observations today, but skies were obscured all day.

Snowpack Summary

The storm has continued. Our totals reached 45 cm's this afternoon. The warm temperatures have encouraged rapid settlement within this fresh layer. In most areas the actual storm snow depth is more like 20-25cm's. There have been some unusual temperature patterns in the last while. The alpine temps have been much warmer than the valley bottom. The winds have had an impact on the new snow at upper treeline and alpine. Fresh slabs are expected near open ridgelines in the alpine and treeline. There has been a storm shear (failure) noted within the storm snow in a few different areas. There's no avalanche activity on this one, but it is on the radar. The Feb 11th layer is down 40-80 depending on location. Closer to the divide the amounts are much higher than to the east. Any solar aspect up to 2350m has a thin breakable crust that is below the storm snow. So far there is no avalanche concern on this layer.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Still the main concern for our area. The best word to describe this layer is variable. Some places it is still reactive and others it is almost gone. It is down anywhere from 40-90 and is capable of producing large avalanches.

Avoid unsupported slopes.>Avoid alpine terrain.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Storm Slabs

The heavy snow is helping to minimize the wind transport, but the storm slabs are definitely out there. Open areas at treeline and alpine ridges are the most susceptible right now.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Avoid cross loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 7th, 2014 2:00PM