Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bull, Dogtooth, East Purcell, Elkford West, Purcells, South Rockies.
Persistent slab avalanches remain possible on north-facing alpine slopes, particularly where the snowpack is thin and rocky.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
It's been several days since any avalanche activity was reported. The last known event was a sledder-triggered slab on Friday east of Wasa (see photo).
Snowpack Summary
About 5 cm of recent snow sits above a hard melt-freeze crust on northerly alpine slopes. Elsewhere, a thick crust caps the surface. This crust will likely soften during the day and refreeze overnight.
The bottom half of the snowpack is generally weak and faceted
Lower elevations are melting rapidly.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level drops from 2500 to 1500 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with 0 to 3 cm of snow. 30 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Thursday
Sunny. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
- Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
It remains possible to trigger avalanches on buried weak layers, particularly where they are shallow in the snowpack and/or do not have a thick crust above them.
Aspects: North, North East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5