Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 25th, 2024–Jan 28th, 2024

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, human triggered possible.
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.

Another big warm-up is on the way. Expect hazard to increase through the weekend as freezing levels rise. Persistent layers may become more reactive with warm temps.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several large avalanches observed from last weeks wind event, some failing to persistent layers. No new avalanches observed in the last 48h.

Snowpack Summary

Small wind slabs forming in the Alpine with Strong SW winds. Below 2000m a new crust exists from last weeks warms temps. The Dec 23 Melt Freeze Crust and Facets are down 40-100 cm. An early season basal crust complex exists in most places in the alpine and at treeline. Significantly less snow in the eastern areas of the park. Snowpack depths between 30 - 170 cm.

Weather Summary

Fri

Partly cloudy with scattered flurries. Freezing levels will rise to 2000m. Ridgetop winds will increase moderate to strong SW.

Sat

Partly cloudy with scattered flurries. Freezing levels will rise to 2300m. Ridgetop winds will be strong to extreme SW

Sun

Partly cloudy with scattered flurries and rain showers. Freezing levels to 2700m with extreme SW winds.

For more info see: Mountain Weather Forecast.

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.