Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 3rd, 2017 4:00PM

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

jonas hoke, Parks Canada

Waterton Lakes.

A healthy dose of new snow will make for good skiing, especially in the early hours. Be prepared to manage the cycle of small loose wet avalanches during the heat of the day.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Sunny. Ridgetop wind light SW (trending moderate in the evening). Treeline temps, High -4, Low -8.Wednesday: Sunny. Ridgetop wind moderate-strong SW. Treeline temps, High 1, Low -4.Thursday: Mostly Sunny. Ridgetop wind mod-strong SW. Treeline temps, High 3, Low 1.

Snowpack Summary

An up-slope event has evenly distributed up to 25cm of new snow through our the park. This overlies old crusty surfaces, bare ground, and isolated pockets of wind slab from Sundays strong-extreme south winds. Below this the mid snowpack is well settled and strong. Basal facets likely persist in some areas, but have been unreactive since mid-March.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed or reported.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Problems

Loose Wet

New snow over old crusty surfaces will likely produce small natural avalanches with daytime warming and/or solar input.

Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs which formed on Sunday will be difficult to detect. Expect new wind slab development later in the forecast period as temperatures warm and winds increase.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Apr 6th, 2017 4:00PM