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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 22nd, 2020–Feb 23rd, 2020

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis.

A bit of new snow is on the way. Watch for fresh wind slabs at upper elevations.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

There is some disagreement between weather forecasts. Most weather products agree that Sunday will be mostly cloudy with moderate SW winds. However, snowfall amounts are uncertain with everywhere between 3 and 12cm expected. Temperatures should reach 05 in the Alpine on Sunday. Monday also looks cloudy with light flurries.

Avalanche Summary

Nothing new today, but observations were limited in poor visibility.

Snowpack Summary

Trace amounts of new snow overnight, but there was moderate snowfall occurring midday in Saturday. Accumulations could reach 5cm by this evening. Alpine areas exhibit widespread wind slabs on all aspects, whereas at Treeline these slabs are restricted to typical lee and cross-loaded features. Sun crust on solar aspects.

Terrain and Travel

  • Fresh wind slabs will likely form throughout the day, diligently watch for changing conditions.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Avalanche hazard may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.