Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 18th, 2015 8:00AM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Up to 35cm of new snow over the past few days continues to add load to the snowpack. Winds will be a critical thing to watch over the next few days as there is lots of snow available for transport. Give the snowpack time to settle.

Summary

Confidence

Good - Wind speed and direction is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Temperatures are forecast to cool over the next few days with light to moderate winds out of the NW. No new snow is forecast to fall (unfortunately) but we are way ahead of where we normally are for snow depths.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche Control in the Buller and EEOR areas on Thursday produced mixed results. Some areas the bomb produced only a hole and in other avalanches up to sz 2 were encountered. There were also some areas (steeper terrain) wherein we observed a few loose dry avalanches up to sz 1.

Snowpack Summary

An additional 35cm of new snow fell overnight along the Smith Dorrien. At the Highwood pass region, 25cm of snow fell. Winds were generally moderate out of the SW so we are seeing new windslabs and stormslabs build as we speak! These new slabs are our main concern in the snowpack. We really don't have a prominent persistent weak layer within out snowpack at this time but there still are significant weak layer at the interface with the recent new snow. Buried windslab's are also a concern and backcountry users need to be curious about snowpack and where these concerns may be. Expect to encounter these problems around ridgelines, and in gullied terrain at treeline and above.

Problems

Storm Slabs

New storm slabs and instabilities are developing with the recent influx of new snow.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 4

Wind Slabs

Watch for buried windslabs as you move through the terrain. Be especially cautious as you transition into more wind affected terrain at treeline.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>The new snow will requires several days to settle and stabilize.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Loose Dry

Power sluffing out of steep terrain is ongoing at this time.

Avoid areas with overhead hazard.>Avoid ice climbs that are in terrain traps below large start zones.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Nov 19th, 2015 2:00PM