Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 3rd, 2022–Feb 4th, 2022

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

Regions

Kananaskis.

Strong SW winds are forecast to arrive overnight and into Friday making the new windslabs more reactive. 

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Temperatures will continue to warm on Friday with daytime highs around -6C forecast. As it always does, when it gets warmer, it gets windier. Friday is forecast to have strong winds out of the SW for most of the day. Light snowfall is also expected with accumulations around 3-5cm. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported on Thursday. 

Snowpack Summary

Recent snow has formed windslabs in alpine and isolated areas at treeline. These windslabs are 30-60cm deep and noted along ridge crests and in crossloaded features. They are mainly be encountered on N and E aspects. Forecasters have noted cracking along ridgecrests during the week indicating that human triggerring is a possibility. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.

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.