Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 27th, 2017 3:15PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs and Cornices.

michael.olsthoorn, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Forecasters are still feeling that exposure to large overhead terrain should be avoided. The lower half of the snowpack is weak.

Summary

Confidence

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurriesPrecipitation: Trace.Alpine temperature: High -8 C.Ridge wind west 40-60km/h.Freezing level: 1600 metres.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30cm of new snow in the last three days. Wind effect was observed in the alpine, on lee features and cross loaded gullies. Moist snow was felt below 1900m and it is settling rapidly with warm temps. Good skiing can be found on shady aspects and sheltered areas. Numerous pits were dug in many areas of our forecast area and the most relevant observation was the weakness of the bottom 100cm of the snowpack (mostly facets and depth hoar).

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are present mostly in the alpine.. Gullies and crossloaded features should be treated with caution and in steeper terrain avoided.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Forecasters are still avoiding overhead hazard that has not yet released and being very conservative in bigger terrain.

Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger the deep persistent slab.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Cornices

Concern with daytime warming.

Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger deep slabs.Cornices become weak with daytime heating.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Mar 28th, 2017 2:00PM