The snowpack in Waterton is extremely variable. Hazard is elevated along the divide where there is potential to step down to deeper layers.
Weather Forecast
Sunday: Cloudy with flurries and moderate SW winds. Monday: Cloudy with flurries and moderate to strong SW winds. Up to 10cm Sunday night through Monday on the east side of the park.Tuesday: Models are in disagreement, with up to 20cm of snow in western areas of the park accompanied by moderate to strong SW winds and freezing levels rising to 1800m
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack in Waterton is highly variable, but you can count on a weaker structure along the divide where 20-30cm of recent storm snow has formed windslabs on lee (east) slopes which are sitting on a weak snowpack consisting of facets and crusts.
Avalanche Summary
Though there have been few Avalanche observations in the park, our neighbors have been experiencing the first big cycle of the season. Several skier triggered avalanches to size 2 were reported on Alpine and Treeline E-NE slopes, as well as several avalanches from explosive triggers on the October 25 crust to size 2-3.
Confidence
Wind effect is extremely variable
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.