Avalanche Forecast

Thursday night: Flurries bringing around 5 cm. Light wind. Alpine temperatures around -7.

Friday: Mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -2. Freezing level 1800 m.

Saturday: Sunny. Moderate westerly wind. Alpine high temperatures around 0. Freezing level 2300 m.

Sunday: Flurries. Strong southwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around 0. Freezing level 2400 m.

On Wednesday, neighboring Waterton National Park reported size 1 loose dry activity on steep solar aspects. Solar induced activity can be expected as skies clear over the next couple of days.

On Monday and Tuesday, we received a few reports of size 1 natural and explosive-triggered wind slabs in steep, unsupported alpine features in the south of the region where recent snowfall amounts have been greatest.

20-30 cm of new snow has been accumulating incrementally over recent days. This recent snow overlies a crust on all but alpine northerly aspects. The extent of wind effect in the alpine varies through the region, windy southern areas reporting stripped windward aspects, while neighboring K-country reported only isolated wind effect as of Wednesday.

Around 30 to 60 cm of snow sits above a layer of sugary faceted grains that were buried in mid-February. In some areas, there may be an old layer of feathery surface hoar or facets from late January down 50 to 80 cm deep. There have been no reported avalanches on either of these layers in the region since March 9th in the Crowsnest.

The mid pack is firm and well settled. Some faceted snow and a decomposing melt-freeze crust can be found near the base of the snowpack.

• Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
• Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
• Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.