Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 14th, 2019 3:09PM

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

matt.mueller, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Good skiing can be had right now. Watch the new snow amounts tomorrow and have a back up option if we get the storm early.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Snow starting overnight. Light, but steady flurries will bring 8-10cm by Friday night. The snow will continue for saturday as well with an additional 4cm. Light winds from the SW for tomorrow and temp finally rising to the -15 to -10 range.

Avalanche Summary

Nothing today, but lots of loose dry and a few small slabs within yesterday's storm snow.

Snowpack Summary

A few cm's fell last night, helping the ski conditions a bit. The cold has continued to facet the upper layers at all elevations and allow surface hoar to grow in many areas. At the moment, the surface hoar is small and not a problem. The buried surface hoar on the other hand became very apparent low in the Blackprince area. Lots of big whumphs and cracks in valley bottom. Luckily after climbing for a few minutes, it disappeared. Surprisingly, the mid pack is hanging in there and providing some support. The alpine areas have a small surface slab that was reactive yesterday. Notably at alpine and treeline is the buried windslab. It would come and go and seemed well bonded, but still on our minds. Lots of probing today to help solve the puzzle.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Surface slabs exist near the bottoms of cliffs and immediate lee areas. There are also pockets of buried windslab that could be reactive in steep, shallow areas.

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

Its hard to take this off the radar completely because of the thickness of the layer. Thin areas and/or large triggers remain a concern.

Carefully evaluate and use caution around thin snowpack areas.Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to weak layers at the base of the snowpack.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Feb 15th, 2019 2:00PM