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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 8th, 2022–Feb 9th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
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.

With the warm temperature and strong solar radiation, it is the day to keep it simple and stay away from larger slopes. The trees will also offer the best skiing.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

Sunny and warm for Wednesday. The models are all showing that the temperatures in the alpine will reach up to +4c with 75km/hr winds from the NW. Wet loose avalanches can be expected on solar aspects.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed today but the winds are sure growing the cornices. Expect to see avalanche activity on Wednesday, especially on solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

This Wednesday will be the first real hot and sunny day. So expect the unexpected. We have a few things on our radar:

1. Expect wet loose avalanches on solar aspects

2. Stay away from cornices

3. The Dec 2 rain crust that we talked about in January is about 50cm off the ground and found below 2300m. This type of layer that was dormant for a while might wake up from the solar radiation and could produce a large avalanche.

Otherwise, all open areas at all elevations are covered with with some form of hard or soft wind slab or sastrugi(wind eroded snow). The trees still have the best snow until the heat gets to them..

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.