Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2023–Mar 25th, 2023

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

Hazard for peak solar warming!

As temps cool off into the weekend hazard will decrease.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Several natural wet loose to size 2 observed from the road this week

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of moist snow on solars, all elevations with a strong o/n refreeze. Polar aspects still consist of dry snow above 1600m. The January melt freeze crust is buried 50-100cm. Alpine and Treeline midpack is well settled and overlies basal facets and depth hoar. Below treeline, the Jan Crust overlies facets and depth hoar to ground.

Weather Summary

Thursday

Clear skies with alpine temps +1. No precip and moderate SW winds.

Friday

AM flurries with an alpine high of zero. Winds moderate SW.

Saturday

Overcast with an alpine high of -5. No significant precip with moderate SW winds

Terrain and Travel Advice

Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.