Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 26th, 2018 4:00PM

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

Parks Canada landon shepherd, Parks Canada

New snow on Tuesday with strong west winds will make travel in exposed terrain unpleasant.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A warm front off the pacific will make it's way inland giving unsettled weather and snowfall of 10 to 20cm on Tuesday with strong, gusting winds from the west. Winds will reduce to moderate and eventually light from the west, snowfall will taper, and temperatures will reduce bringing freezing levels to valley bottom for the remainder of the week.

Snowpack Summary

15 to 25cm of snow since mid March redistributed by moderate southwesterly winds, treeline and above. Crusts are buried on solar aspects in wind-sheltered terrain but have only been active in alpine features. Polar aspects have windslabs overlying small size facets that have been reactive on isolated steep terrain, primarily in the Alpine.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural activity was reported or observed during a patrol in the Icefields area today. Cornice failure is increasingly likely and has caused natural avalanches to size 2 in the last week.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Tuesday

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Wind slabs sit on a hard melt-freeze crust on solar aspects, and facets on polar aspects. Assess the bond at these interfaces carefully before committing to avalanche start zones.
Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.Avoid travel on slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Mar 27th, 2018 4:00PM