Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 13th, 2018–Apr 14th, 2018

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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.

Regions

Kananaskis.

New windslabs have/are developed in alpine terrain that skiers should pay close attention too. Choose supported features and rein yourself in a little.  Watch for the affects of solar radiation on solar aspects later in the day.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Winds out of the SW are forecast to increase overnight further loading and building on the current windslabs.  Conditions will be a mix of sun and cloud with daytime highs are -7C in the alpine.  Pay attention to the sun, solar radiation is strong at this time of year and solar aspects will quikly become less stable as temperatures warm up.  These decreases will be most apparent in thin, steep, rocky solar terrain.

Avalanche Summary

One size two wet slab was observed on the EEOR later in the day on Friday but otherwise, only isolated pinwheeling on solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

SW winds increased in alpine overnight and into the morning building windslabs up to 20cm thick in lee features. Recent snow is overlying a supportive MFC that is 4-6cm thick up to 2200m. All aspects were moist up to 2000m by midday and moist snow suspected up to the peaks on solar. Hard sudden planar  results on the March 15th crust down 50cm at 2200m on a SE aspect at treeline.  Start early when travel on the crusts is good and fast

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.