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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 12th, 2022–Feb 15th, 2022

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Ski quality varies throughout the day with solar warming.

Ice and snow close to town continue to deteriorate with high freezing levels.

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Mainly sunny with cloudy periods. SW winds gusting to moderate. Alpine High -1. Freezing levels 2000m.

Monday: Cloudy with flurries in the afternoon, trace amounts snow. Moderate SW wind . Alpine temps, high -4. Freezing levels 1600m.

Tuesday: Cloudy with flurries, amounting to 10 - 15 cm. Light NE winds. Alpine high -7.  FL valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

Winds have pressed or scoured snowpack at all elevations. Moist snow to approximately 2000m on Saturday and higher on steep solar aspects. This overlies Jan 18 crust extending all aspects up to 2000m, and higher on solar aspects. Well settled midpack, with facets above Dec 4 crust, buried 150-200 cm, above Nov layers.

Avalanche Summary

A few small wet loose avalanches observed during peak warming on Thursday. Please post any avalanche observations on the Mountain Information Network, we really appreciate any observations.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

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.

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.