Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

Dec 2 – 3, 2017Alberta Parks
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

15-20cm of recent snow is available for transport so keep an eye on localized winds making the wind slabs more reactive on Sunday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Recent snow is creating some new windslabs and burying previous ones in Alpine areas.  These slabs are 30-50cm thick in immediate lee features as well as in cross loaded areas.  Use caution in open wind affected areas.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3
    The new crusts are preventing the deeper layers from disturbance. Remember, in shallow areas it is still possible to trigger the deeper layers. Caution to trigger from a thinner area. Propagations may be wide due to hard slabs underneath.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1
    Ice climbers use caution with sluffs raining down on you from above.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Winds are forecast to be calm for majority on Sunday and increasing into the moderate range out of the SW later in the day.  No new precip is expected but we said that yesterday and we got 10-20cm! 

Avalanche Summary

Loose dry sluffing out of steep unskiable terrain up to sz 1.  No new slab avalanche activity was noted.

Snowpack Summary

15-20cm of recent snow over the past 36hrs with only light winds at the upper elevations.  Windslabs continue to build in the upper snowpack along immediate lees as well as gullied terrain and there have also been a number of loose dry avalanches up to sz 1.  The nov crust is now down 60-80cm and although we are seeing no results on this layer, we are closely watching it for future development.  The oct crust is now down close to 100-120cm and is producing moderate to hard sheers in a weaker facet layer below the crust.  Lots of snow is currently available for transport so winds will be critical to watch over the next 24hrs.

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