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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 26th, 2022–Dec 27th, 2022

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
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

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

AKAMINA PARKWAY IS CLOSED DUE TO AVALANCHE CONDITIONS CHECK 511 FOR UPDATES!!

Warm temperatures, fresh windslab, and rain have increased avalanche hazard. Windslabs may be built on surface hoar in sheltered locations. If heading out choose terrain carefully.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

One notable size 3.5 avalanche on the east slopes of Bertha Peak. This avalanche initiated in windslab at ridgecrest and ran all the way into town covering the alley of South Evergreen in debris.

A widespread natural avalanche cycle took place in the week leading up to Christmas. Storm slab results to size 2 were observed from the Akamina Parkway.

Snowpack Summary

Extreme westerly winds have formed windslabs at all elevations. Many exposed start zones are stripped back to old surfaces. This overlies a settling midpack. Below 1900m the lower snowpack is faceted, however, no failures have been observed. We are tracking two separate unreactive crusts from early-season warm-ups.

A 2022-12-14 surface hoar layer has been found in sheltered areas and may have been responsible for an avalanche cycle before Christmas. The distribution of this layer since the wind event is unknown.

Weather Summary

Tuesday

The warming trend continues with alpine temps of +2. Light precip through the day falling as rain at lower elevations and snow in the alpine. Up to 10mm of precip is forecast. Winds will be strong from the SW.

Wednesday

Alpine temps fall below zero today with a high of -3. Light flurries through the day today with moderate SW winds.

Thursday

Alpine high of -5 with light flurries and broken skies. Wind will be moderate out of the SW.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
  • Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.

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.