Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 30th, 2017 3:00PM

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

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Great skiing right now with the new snow. Sluffing is a real hazard and watch for localized wind slab development at higher elevations.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Sunday will be sunny with cloudy periods and no new snow. Temperatures are finally beginning to moderate, and after another cold night the daytime high should be a comparably pleasant -13 °C at higher elevations. Ridge top winds will be out of the west at 15 km/h. As the week progresses temperatures will continue to moderate with highs near 0°C by Wednesday or Thursday.

Avalanche Summary

Loose dry avalanches continue to occur in steep terrain at all elevations and on all aspects. These slides are generally size 1.5 or smaller, but are running a far distance in some terrain features.

Snowpack Summary

Another 10 to 15cm of new snow overnight brings the storm snow total to 40 to 50cm. This snow is mostly still low density in nature except in the high Alpine and in wind prone areas. Expect to find slabs on all aspects in the Alpine that have either been recently formed, or formed earlier in the storm and are now buried. At Treeline and below the Dec 15th surface hoar layer is buried between 40 and 60cm deep and is failing in loose dry avalanches, but not yet as a slab due the lack of an overlying cohesive layer. With increased winds this could change. Recent snowpits are showing that the November crusts are faceting, but these layers have not been active as an avalanche problem.

Problems

Loose Dry

Lots of recent snow is leading to sluffing in steep terrain at all elevations. Some of these slides are running surprisingly far. Ice climbers should be particularly cautious with this problem.

Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.The new snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.On steep slopes, pull over periodically or cut into a new line to manage sluffing.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Wind Slabs

Both recently formed and recently buried wind slabs are present in the Alpine on all aspects, and in isolated spots at Treeline. With the increased snow load, these slabs are now more sensitive to triggering.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopes

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 31st, 2017 2:00PM