Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, North 40, Spray - KLakes.
Low avalanche Danger doesn't mean no avalanche danger.
Watch for solar inputs on Sunday increasing the avalanche danger on solar aspects. These effects will be more pronounced on thin steep solar aspects.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches reported or observed.
Snowpack Summary
Another 3-5cm of recent snow trickled in overnight at treeline elevations with very little winds. This snow tapered with elevation and only a trace of new snow was received in the valley floors.
Over the past few days the dribs and drabs of snow has settled into 5-8cm of new snow. Some northerly winds have created small isolated windslabs that do not extend far downslope along ridgelines that are overlying a thin melt freeze crust.
The snowpack is mainly facetted but generally well settled. Widespread hard windslabs can be found in most open areas at treeline and above. These slabs are stubborn to trigger but if you are in steep thin terrain, you may be able to find a pocket that is reactive.
The Kananaskis valley is generally below threshold in many areas at treeline and below.
Weather Summary
Winds will again be light Northern on Sunday with some models calling for the freezing level to rise to 2000m. No new snow is forecast in the next few days but looking out into the 10day forecast, there is snow expected on Feb 1!
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind prone features, such as lee and cross-loaded gullies could have dense wind slabs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2