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 1st, 2024–Feb 2nd, 2024

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

Regions

North Rockies, Sugarbowl, East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Robson, Tumbler.

Danger is gradually decreasing with cooling temperatures but continue to use a cautious approach to avalanche terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

The natural avalanche cycle observed on the weekend and earlier in the week due to the warming event has begun to taper with cooling temperatures.

A fatal avalanche involving one snowmobiler occurred in the Hasler riding area last Saturday. The avalanche was triggered in a wind-loaded east-facing chute feature at treeline and ran approximately 250 m. For more details on this incident, see the Fatal Avalanche Incident report.

Snowpack Summary

Moist or crusty snow surfaces exist from recent rain and warm temperatures. In the alpine isolated pockets of wind-transported dry snow exist. At lower elevations the snowpack is isothermal.

Several weak layers in the mid and lower snowpack were producing large slab avalanches during the recent warming event. This activity is expected to taper with cooling temperatures.

In areas east of the Divide the snowpack is shallow and faceted with depths of 60 to 100 cm around treeline.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Mainly cloudy with periods of light rain or snow. Alpine wind south 30 to 50 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C, freezing level 1800 m.

Friday

Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow. Alpine wind southwest 40 to 60 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C, freezing level 1700 m.

Saturday

Mainly sunny. Alpine wind 15 to 30 km/h from the west. Treeline temperature -7 C.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h from the northwest. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.

Problems

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 Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.