Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 24th, 2014 8:11AM

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

jeremy.mackenzie, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

Danger levels will rise with increased snowfall and moderate winds expected to arrive sometime later on Tuesday. Pay attention to localized conditions.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Tuesday should be cloudy with light flurries and accumulations up to 5cm. Winds will be out of the West gusting to 45km/h. Forecasts are in disagreement, but Tuesday night and Wednesday morning could see heavy snow with as much as 30cm possible.

Avalanche Summary

Several small sluffs up to size 1.0 occurred in steep Alpine and Treeline terrain on all aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 5cm low density snow fell in the past 24hrs. Previously formed sun crusts on solar aspects are now buried beneath the most recent snow. Wind slabs between 20 and 40cm thick are found in the Alpine and open areas at Treeline, but seem confined to immediately below ridge-crests. The Feb 10th persistent weak layer down 80 to 120cm remains a concern and has been the failure plane for natural and human-triggered slides in the past week.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The Feb10th layer down 80 to 120cm remains a concern. Sporadic avalanche activity on this layer continues to occur on all aspects.

Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs between 20 and 40cm thick are found in lee and cross-loaded features in the Alpine and open areas at Treeline. Terrain immediately below ridge-crests seems especially prone to this problem.

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 25th, 2014 2:00PM