Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.
Good time to avoid all avalanche terrain and head to a local resort.
Avalanche control is planned again on East end of Mt. Rundle & Mt. Buller avalanche control zone on Sunday Feb 3rd. The spray road remains closed from Grassi lakes to Goat creek parking lot.
A Special Public Avalanche Warning is in effect. Click the red SPAW link for details.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
A good Min report found: Here
Avalanche control was attempted once again on East end of Mt. Rundle, poor visibility all day stopped the team from accessing the high targets. A good clean out however on the backside of Three sisters showed slab properties and the new snow moving quickly.
Snowpack Summary
60-90cm of recent snow is now overlying the Feb 3rd crust complex. Storm slabs and wind slabs can be expected in this new snow which will be easy to trigger with a skiers weight. A weak layer of faceted crystals also exists above and below this crust that has been producing moderate sheers. This new snow is beginning to overload this layer and cause a natural avalanche cycle. The November basal facets are alive and well and back on our radar as the February 2 rain crust is deteriorating and not locking in the weaknesses below as it once did. Skier weight has now been able to break through the Feb 2 rain crust in some places, which means that the basal facets can now be more easily affected.
This is a good time to avoid all avalanche terrain
Weather Summary
Sunday will bring partially sunny skies and a day time high of -14. Winds will be light out of the West.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, avalanches may run surprisingly far.
- Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
New snow is overloading the Feb 3rd persistent layer interface that developed in the warm spell in early February.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Very Likely - Certain
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Wind Slabs
Failures within the recent snow including windslabs, and storm slabs from rapid settlement have been observed in all elevations. Open areas below treeline where the new now is settling should be carefully evaluated.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Very Likely - Certain
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Deep Persistent Slabs
Avalanche may step down to the weeker deep basal layers.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Very Likely
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5