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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 10th, 2020–Dec 11th, 2020

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.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Nice weather after the first good snowfall in a while. Snow amounts very greatly with elevation as well from valley to valley. Constantly checking snow character and depths as you travel through the terrain is important. Watch overhead hazards especially as the wind increases.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Colder temps will remain in the area for the next few days. Friday should have scattered clouds which may give a dusting of snow in some areas but not a significant amount. Winds should remain light to moderate, increasing a bit through Saturday.

Avalanche Summary

Continued evidence of the recent cycle from the yesterdays storm, producing avalanches to size 2.5. No new in the last 12 hr.  

Snowpack Summary

The new snow is over a variety of surfaces, surface hoar in isolated locations up to 2100m as well as crusts from last week warm temps and the early storms rain, as well the hard wind slabs. The Nov. 6 crust is down 50-80cm there is a wide range of result on this layer it may become more sensitive with the new load uses caution in unsupported terrain. Isolated wind slabs all aspects in the alpine. New SH growth at all elevations.  

Terrain and Travel

  • Fresh wind slabs will likely form throughout the day, diligently watch for changing conditions.
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Don't let the desire for deep powder pull you into high consequence terrain.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.

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.