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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 25th, 2023–Dec 26th, 2023

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

East Kakwa, Tumbler.

Watch for newly formed, reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

The snowpack is shallow and generally weak with many hazards on or near the surface.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported. There are very few field observations coming from this forecast area. Remember that a lack of avalanche reports does not necessarily mean a lack of avalanche activity.

If you go out in the backcountry, please consider sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).

Snowpack Summary

Check out this MIN report from Core Lodge.

The snowpack is shallow, faceted and highly wind-affected. Expect scouring on windward slopes and isolated pockets of deep wind slab over facets near ridge crests on leeward slopes. A crust has formed on the surface below treeline.

Several crusts exist in the mid pack. Isolated pockets of buried surface hoar could be found in sheltered terrain.

Average snowpack depths at treeline are highly variable (20 to 70 cm). Many hazards are on or just below the surface.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

A mix of sun and cloud, no new snow. Southwest alpine wind 60 to 100 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level rises to 3000 m.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy with snowfall, up to 5 cm of accumulation. Southwest alpine wind 50 to 100 km/h. Freezing level 1000 m dropping to valley bottom.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud, no new snow. Southwest alpine wind 20 to 50 km/h. Treeline temperature -1 °C.

Thursday

A mix of sun and cloud, no new snow. Southwest alpine wind 50 to 80 km /h. Treeline temperature 0 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Expect shallow snow cover that barely covers ground roughness.
  • Avalanche danger is often elevated in alpine gullies where snow has accumulated.

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.