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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 12th, 2018–Apr 13th, 2018

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

Regions

Kananaskis.

Pay attention to the affect of solar radiation on friday.  As temperatures warm up and the sun hits slopes, stability will decrease.  Start early!

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

The snow will taper off overnight and winds will begin to increase into the moderate range out of the west.  Temperatures are forecat to be around -7C with a freezing level around 1900m  When the sun does come out, expect stability to quickly decrease.  These decreases will be more apparent on solar aspects especially in steeper thin rocky terrain.  Pay attention to whats overhead and in the sun.  Cornices will also become weak with daytime heating so use caution. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of new snow over the past 24hrs with only light easterly winds.  This new snow is overlying a widespread supportive melt freeze up to 2100m and up to the peaks on the solar aspects.  Windslabs are still being encountered along ridgelines and in cross loaded features.  Use caution in thinner or unsupported terrain near these areas.  The March 15th layer is down 50cm and is slowly gaining strength but we are still treating this layer cautiously.  Dig down and be curious with it and evaluate it before committing. 

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.

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.

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.