Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain.

MONDAY NIGHT: Increasing cloud with flurries starting overnight and accumulations of 5-10 cm of snow on the eastern slopes, 30 km/h wind from the northwest, freezing level dropping to valley bottom, alpine temperatures dropping to -15 C.

TUESDAY: Scattered flurries with 5-10 cm of snow along the east side of the divide and less in BC, 30 km/h wind from the southeast, alpine temperatures around -15 C.

WEDNESDAY: Flurries with 10-30 cm of snow possible, 50-80 km/h wind from the northeast, alpine temperatures around -18 C.

THURSDAY: Flurries continue with another 5-15 cm of snow possible, 30-60 km/h wind from the northeast, alpine temperatures around -20 C.

No recent avalanches have been reported in the South Rockies region, however wind slab avalanches have been reported in the neighbouring Lizard Flathead, Kananaskis, and Banff regions (see this MIN report for an example). With more snow and wind in the forecast for the South Rockies, expect the likelihood of wind slab avalanches to increase.

Strong Chinook winds and steady snowfall will continue to form wind slabs in open terrain this week, especially on the Alberta side of the continental divide. The wind is also scouring many slopes down to rocks and crusts.

There is wide variation in snowpack depths across terrain and throughout the region. In general, 50 to 100 cm of snow may be found in terrain depressions in the alpine, while very little snow exists on windward terrain features. There is little or no snow below treeline.

There may be a crust near the middle of the snowpack, which could act as a sliding layer for the snow above it. Be prepared to back off to mellow terrain if you encounter signs of instability such as whumpfs or shooting cracks, which could indicate there are buried weak layers capable of producing slab avalanches.