Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 20th, 2014 8:04AM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is considerable. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs and Loose Dry.

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Lots of new snow is available for transport right now. Keep a close eye on the winds where you plan on skiing. Stability will quickly decrease as soon as the winds increase...

Summary

Weather Forecast

25cm of new snow has fallen over the past 24hrs (as of 4pm) and another 10cm of so is expected overnight. Winds will generally be light out of the NW over the next few days and temperatures are forecast to be cool. Lots of new snow is available for transport at higher elevations so keep a close eye on the winds.

Avalanche Summary

A few loose dry sluffs were observed throughout the day on Thursday but generally, conditions were obscured and there was no good opportunities to get a look around.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25cm of new snow has fallen over the past 24hrs with very little wind affect expect along ridgelines and peak in Alpine terrain. This new snow is generally bonding well but loose dry sluffs are being observed on solar aspects wherein this new snow is overlying a sun crust. These solar aspects will be the touchy over the next few days. The 0211 is down generally 1m at treeline throughout most of the forecast region producing anywhere from hard to easy results depending on the depth of this interface. Dig often and dig frequent to evaluate this layer

Problems

Wind Slabs

New windslabs are building in Alpine terrain and isolated areas at treeline. Evaluate the bond of this new snow with the previous surface. So far, it seems more sensitve on solar aspects where overlying the melt freeze crust.

Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Avoid cross loaded features.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 4

Persistent Slabs

There has been less activity on this layer over the past little while. It is especially sensitive to triggerring from thinner snowpack areas. Avalanches in the upper snowpack may step down to this interface.

Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

3 - 5

Loose Dry

Steep terrain especially on solar aspects.

Sluffs may trigger deeper instabilities.>Watch for terrain traps where small amounts of snow will acumulate into deep deposits.>Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 21st, 2014 2:00PM