Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 9th, 2016 7:22AM

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

matt.mueller, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

A bit of new snow and some recycled powder beneath it is makes for nice sliding out there in the right places. Head's up for the new snow over the sun crust on steep, solar terrain features up high and assess thin wind slabs & cornices on the north.

Summary

Confidence

High - Due to the number and quality of field observations

Weather Forecast

Freezing levels will remain at valley bottom, no precipitation in the forecast for the foreseeable future and upper flow will remain NW. Sunny skies, cold and light winds in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

Some loose dry and thin slab avalanche activity up to size 2.0 in the forecast region was observed on solar and polar aspects in the last 48 hours.

Snowpack Summary

Cold temperatures persist and continue to facet out the snowpack at all elevations and aspects. The new snow (10-12cm) from the 7th and 8th of January is sluffing easily over the January 7th facets/crust/surface layer on most aspects. Some down flow or catabatic wind effect was observed by a forecaster which produced some thin 6-10cm 1F windslab in the alpine. The midpack and base of the snowpack has rotted out completely in the lower elevations and areas where the snowpack is thin and/or wind affected terrain features such as rocks and moraines in the higher elevations.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Loose Dry

Avoid steep Southerly aspects.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 10th, 2016 2:00PM