Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2021–Mar 25th, 2021

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Continued blips of upslope snowfall paired with periods of wind will create pockets of windslab in the alpine and upper treeline over the next few days.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: 5-15cm upslope snow Monday night followed by moderate NE winds and a clear and calm period during the day. Freezing level 1700m.

Wednesday: Cloudy with strong ridge winds from the west. Freezing level 1400m.

Thursday: Cloudy with potential for 5-20cm of snowfall between Wednesday night and Thursday night.

Snowpack Summary

5-20cm of settled storm snow sits on a thick crust that exists to ridgetop except on high north faces. This tops a well consolidated snowpack with the lower half composed of dense facets and decomposing crusts, none of which have been reactive in snowpack tests or recent avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

One natural size 1 windslab was seen in a steep immediate lee feature in the Twin Lakes area.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Thursday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.