Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 1st, 2022–Dec 3rd, 2022

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

Cold temperatures will continue over the next 24hrs. so try to be on sunny aspects if you go out. Watch for windslabs alone ridgelines on all aspects.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A few loose dry avalanches up to sz 1 were obsreved.

Snowpack Summary

5-8cm of new snow over the past few days has done little to change the overall avalanche danger. Winds have been light but there is pockets of windslabs along ridgelines and in crossloaded gully features that were cracking with skier traffic.

The cold temps are only making the weak base weaker. Unfortunately this will likely remain with us for the season....

The new snow is likely to sluff easily in steeper terrain. This is of particular importance to ice climbers who are often in steep gullies.

Weather Summary

Saturday will be COLD again! But at least its sunny!!! Winds will be light out of the north. Daytime highs will be around -18C but the morning will be in the mid -20s. The ridge will begin to break down later in the week.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
Ice climbers should be equipped with avalanche safety gear.
Winter conditions may exist in gullies, alpine bowls, and around ridgelines.

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.