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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 1st, 2025–Jan 4th, 2025

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, Waterton.

With light snow this week skiing is improving, keep your eye out for small thin windslabs in lee areas. Hazard may be higher then predicted if snowfall exceeds forecasted amounts.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed however minimal field work.

Snowpack Summary

15-25 cm of new snow has fallen this week. It overlies older hard windslabs in the alpine and treeline and a thin melt freeze crust below treeline.

Snowpack depths at treeline range from 80 - 120 cm.

Weather Summary

Thurs

Cloudy with sunny periods. Isolated flurries. Wind W 20-30 km/hr with an alpine high of -9°C.

Fri

Cloudy with sunny periods and light snow up to 5cm. Wind SW 10-20 km/hr with an alpine high of -12°C.

Sat

Clearing with no significant precip expected. Wind W 30-50km/hr with an alpine high of -5°C.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for the most up to date information.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.