Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Dec 2 – 3, 2021Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The Canmore Hill will be closed until Friday December 4 due to avalanche hazard and for control work.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Extensive wind slabs in the alpine.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    2.5–3.5

    Triggering of the wind slab is likely to trigger the deep persistent slab.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Friday is expected to be mostly cloudy with a daytime high of -15c. Winds will be 50km/hr from the SW.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed.

Snowpack Summary

We have no fields observations but our remote weather stations indicated that this last storm dropped up to 45mm of rain along the Spray and freezing levels were around 2250m. This means that the alpine has probably received upwards of 50cm of snow. This storm came in with a lot of wind, so expect extensive wind slabs and loaded lee features in the alpine.  

The temperature has already started to cool, so there is a rain crust about 5cm down and will disappear at about the 2250m elevation. There are now several crusts in the snowpack below 2250m. This cooling trend will tighten up the snowpack reducing natural avalanche activity but increase the possibility of triggering. Approach all avalanche terrain with caution.

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid lee and cross loaded slopes in the alpine.
  • Avoid slopes that sound hollow or drum-like.

Regions covered