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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 25th, 2020–Feb 26th, 2020

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas. Fresh wind slabs on E through S aspects from the recent NW winds.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Wednesday is looking like a mostly cloudy day with afternoon flurries. The high temperature in the alpine will be -6c with moderate to strong winds from the West.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed. 

Snowpack Summary

Strong NW alpine winds is moving our recent 10cm of snow onto SE features. Expect to find soft slabs in lee features and cross loaded gullies on the south to East aspects. Otherwise, there is the wind slab in the alpine and sun crust on solar aspects that was previously formed that is still on our radar. Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas.

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid convexities, steep unsupported terrain and rocky outcroppings.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.