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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 20th, 2021–Dec 23rd, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Though ski quality is currently excellent, avalanche hazard will increase with incoming weather system. Other hazards still include sharks below 1800m.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Clearing. Moderate south west winds. Alpine temps high -10. Freezing levels valley bottom

Wednesday: Cloudy with flurries. Accumulation 10 cm. Strong south west winds. Alpine temps high -5. FL 1500m.

Thursday: Cloudy with flurries. Accumulation 10-20 cm. Strong gusting to extreme west winds. Alpine temps high -7. FL valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

20-30 cm unconsolidated snow is currently faceting with cold temps. This overlies previous widespread windslabs 20-40 cm thick in alpine and treeline. Dec 4 crust, found down 40-80 cm has faceting snow above. A 20-60 cm thick Nov MFcr complex completes the snowpack to ground. HS at TL is 110 - 170. BTL has just reached threshold at Cameron Lake.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported or observed during field day. If you go out into the mountains please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.