Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 28th, 2014 8:21AM

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

Alberta Parks mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

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Kananaskis.

Lots of recent snow is available for transport at treeline and above.  New windslabs will quickly build as winds increase.  Be sure to keep a keen eye on localized wind direction and intensity as you travel.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Wind speed and direction is uncertain on Saturday

Weather Forecast

We may see an additional few cm overnight and throughout the day on Saturday.  Winds are forecasted to increase at higher elevations into the moderate to strong range out of the west.  Lots of snow is available for transport so winds will be very important to pay attention to over the weekend.  Freezing levels will remain at valley floor.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous loose dry sluffs from steep alpine features up to sz 1.5.  A sz 2 slab was also observed on Mt Buller on a NW aspect at 2400m that failed at ground and ran into mature timber.

Snowpack Summary

50cm of recent storm snow has fallen over the past few days.  This new snow has fallen with generally very little to no wind affect.  This new snow is settling especially at lower elevations under the influence of warm temperatures.  Moderate sudden planar shears are being observed at the storm snow interface down 50cm and in areas traveled on Friday the 0211 layer was found down 120cm but produced no significant results.  This layer is still highly variable in terms of test results and in some thinner areas easy results can still be expected.  Late in the day Alpine winds were increasing and  we suspect, new skier triggerable windslabs are building. 

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
New skier triggerable windslabs will quickly build at treeline and above with the incoming westerly flow and warm tempteratures.   
Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 4

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
Be aware of the potential for avalanches in the upper snowpack to step down the 0211 interface.  This layer is still producing highly variable results so be sure to evaluate this layer often as you move through the terrain.
Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Mar 29th, 2014 2:00PM

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