Avalanche Forecast
Regions: East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, North Rockies, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Sugarbowl, Tumbler.
The wind has redistributed the new snow into wind slabs. Use caution as you transfer into wind-affected terrain.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
A few small to large (size 1 to 2) wind slab avalanches out of steep alpine terrain were reported since Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
20 to 30 cm of snow that in isolated areas is up to 60 cm has accumulated in the past week. This storm snow has formed a slab and overlies a hard melt-freeze crust and perhaps isolated surface hoar crystals in wind-sheltered treeline terrain.
Variable winds have created windslabs on all aspects near or just below ridge crests.
The snow may be deeper and touchier in wind-exposed lee features.
A weak layer of surface hoar and/or faceted grains buried mid-February is around 50 to 100 cm deep, but is showing signs of strengthening.
The lower snowpack is well-settled.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Monday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and cloud with 1 to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
- Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Variable winds recently have built wind slabs on all aspect in the alpine and treeline elevations. Wind slabs can still be triggered by riders.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2