Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 28th, 2016 7:48AM

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

matt.mueller, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

The weather will play a key role in the snow's stability. If it stays warm, low elevation areas will be avalanche prone. If it cools like it supposed to, things will tighten up and get better. This forecast assumes it will cool overnight.

Summary

Confidence

Low - Freezing levels are uncertain on Friday

Weather Forecast

Tonight: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries or showers at low elevation. Overnight lows are expected to be -9 (likely warmer) and still windy, west winds at 45 km/hr gusting to 85. Tomorrow: Mainly cloudy. No precip. Strong winds from the west, 25km/hr gusting to 85. The freezing level is expected to rise, but so far there is no indication of that happening outside. Our confidence is low on the freezing level prediction.

Avalanche Summary

There were 3, sz1 loose wet avalanches on the canmore Hill today. Poor visibility kept the observations limited, but there were almost certainly more loose wet avalanches in low elevation terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Warm temps and rain up to 1700m has made for a wet snowpack at lower elevations. Above 1800m the snow is moist up to about 1900m. Above that the temps stayed cool enough to limit the moist snow. Tomorrow, we can expect a melt/freeze crust up to atleast1900m. At treeline the winds continued to blow around what snow it could. Windslab and settlement slabs are likely to be found in lee areas. The alpine remained cool with dry snow and some moderate wind transport.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Watch for these a you approach open areas at treeline. Remember that warm snow will build new slabs quickly.

Avoid cross loaded slopes at or above treeline.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Avoid cross loaded slopes at or above treeline.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Persistent Slabs

If it cools off as the forecast suggests, these slabs will tighten up. If it stays warm, expect the reactivity of these slabs to go up (easier to trigger).

Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features>Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.>Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.>Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Jan 29th, 2016 2:00PM