Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 5th, 2015 8:11AM

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

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Watch for the sun poking through the clouds at this time of year. Radiation from the sun can quickly decrease stability. These decreases are most apparent on steep, thin solar aspects so keep a eye (or two) looking up. Happy Easter.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Temperatures will remain cool on Monday with freezing levels around 1800m. A mix of sun and cloud is forecast again so keep a keen eye on the sun as its packs a punch these days. No new snow is forecast and winds will be out of the east in the moderate range (26-40km/hr).

Avalanche Summary

Extensive sluffing up to sz 1.5 out of steeper terrain. Moist releases later in the day up to sz 2 on solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

20-30cm recent HN24 (24 hour snowfall total) with very little wind affect. This new snow is overlying a variety of other surface from crusts (on most aspects below 2200m and southern aspects up to the peaks) and cold dry powder snow on northern alpine aspects. Moist snow in the afternoon on solar aspects and on all aspects below 1900m. New snow sluffs easily from steeper terrain.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Watch for pockets of these slabs along ridgelines and in crossloaded gullies. The entrances of the runs will be the areas to be heads up.

Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

Steeper terrain features

Be very cautious with gully features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Very Likely - Certain

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

No activity on this layer in some time, but its still in forecasters minds.

Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Minimize exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Apr 6th, 2015 2:00PM