Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Jan 18 – 19, 2014Alberta Parks
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The natural avalanche cycle has subsided but conditions remain ripe for human triggering. The basal weakness is a major concern. Terrain choices should be limited to low angle, well supported terrain with no overhead hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–5
    Wind slabs up to 40cm thick are being encountered in immediate lees along ridge lines and in cross loaded features. Most of the recent natural avalanche activity has been obs in Alpine.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    3–6
    Avalanches are often stepping down to the basal October layers and involving the entire winters snowpack. In some areas a dense wind slab overlies this deeply buried weak layer, so the possibility for large and destructive avalanches exists.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Although temperatures will be slightly cooler on Sunday, loose wet slides out of steep solar aspects are still possible. Some slides are triggering small slabs on the underlying slopes.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Mostly sunny skies with slightly cooler temperatures on Sunday. Winds will be light to moderate from the West to NorthWest. No precipitation expected for at least a week.

Avalanche Summary

Pin-wheeling and small loose wet avalanches were observed today.

Snowpack Summary

No new snow overnight. Moist snow to 2400m on steep solar aspects. Surface growing in protected areas below treeline. Wind slabs in Alpine and Treeline areas persist and are sensitive to human triggering in steep and unsupported terrain. Basal facets/depth hoar remains a concern for full depth releases and wide propagations.

Regions covered