Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 11th, 2023–Mar 12th, 2023

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Perfect weather for tours in beautiful places. Sunday should hold some great visibility once again. A storm is brewing for Sunday night and into monday.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported or observed today.

Snowpack Summary

Sun crusts continue to form on steep solar aspects. Generally a weak snowpack. The surface wind slab at tree line and above is slowly gaining strength but is still producing planar results down 20cm from the surface. Natural avalanches are possible and the consequences would be significant because any trigger would likely make the entire snowpack slide.

Weather Summary

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries throughout the day.

Day time highs of -10 and 20-30km/h SouthWest winds.

Monday

Monday: Mostly a snowy day with a forecasted 15-25cm. Freezing level will rise to 1800m (spray road elevation) Winds will be 40-50km/h out of the southwest

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.