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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 17th, 2023–Mar 18th, 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, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South.

Use caution in wind loaded areas. Minimize your exposure to steep slopes facing the sun during the hottest part of the day.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity in the latter part of the week was limited to size 1 wet loose avalanches from steep rocky slopes facing the sun.

On Tuesday, a skier accidental size 2.5 wind slab avalanche was reported. The group triggered the avalanche in a 2000 m start zone that had been reverse-loaded by northeast winds earlier in the week.

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Primarily southwest winds have redistributed new snow from earlier in the week into alpine and treeline lee terrain. This sits above hard, wind-affected snow in open areas and a sun crust on solar slopes. Below 1800 m the surface is covered by a refrozen rain crust.

A melt-freeze crust with facets above can be found 50 to 120 cm deep. It has not produced any recent avalanche activity in the region, however, professionals are still tracking it to watch for signs of it becoming an active problem.

The mid to lower snowpack is well-bonded. Currently, we are not seeing the same basal weak layers and reactivity that many of the neighboring regions are experiencing this season.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Mainly clear. Treeline temperature -9 °C. Wind light southwest. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Saturday

Mainly sunny with cloudy periods. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Wind light southwest. Freezing level rising to 2000m.

Sunday

Mix of sun and cloud. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Wind light southeast. Freezing level rising to 2000m.

Monday

Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Wind light east. Freezing level 1500m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
  • Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.