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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 30th, 2017–Dec 1st, 2017

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, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Highwood pass has now closed for the season! Natural avalanche activity has ceased but still use caution for recent windslabs that were building in alpine areas.  In thin areas you may trigger the basal weakness. MK

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Cooler temperatures are forecast for Friday and winds are forecast to be light to moderate out of the SW.  No significant precip is expected over the next few days. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche observations were seen in the past 24hrs. 

Snowpack Summary

Windslab can be found in alpine terrain up to 40cm thick along ridelines and in cross loaded features.  These problems are most easily found on N and E aspects.  The "Midpack" consists of a series of crusts from rain events in november.  These crusts are down 50 and 80cm but so far, no results have been observed on these layers.  Deeper down the October Halloween crust has been producing Hard sudden collapse results.  Thin areas will be the most likely areas where a skier may be able to trigger this weakness so heads up for thin snowpack areas.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.