Avalanche forecast

Kananaskis

May 2 – 5, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

Friday will be a good day to avoid travel in avalanche terrain. Wet avalanches can be very destructive and reach down to the valley floor to be sure to think about overhead terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Recent snow is settling into a reactive wet storm slab in all open areas.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely - Certain
    Size
    1–2

    Wet slides may trigger the deeper weak layers so use caution and be mindful to avoid overhead terrain.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3

    As conditions warm up over the next few days, watch for the deeper persistent layers to start to wake up with the new load. These slides will run far as wet as slides will follow terrain.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Numerous wet slabs and loose wet avalanches up to sz 2.5 on all aspects

Snowpack Summary

Up to 60cm of recent storm snow has settled fast with the warmer temperatures and is quickly settling into a reactive storm and or wet slab. This snow is overlying a variety of surfaces from crusts on solar aspects to dry snow on steep northern polar aspects. When the sun comes out, we are expecting a natural avalanche cycle to occur. During brief glimpses of alpine terrain on Thursday, wet slab avalanches were observed as high as 2600m on all aspects. Friday will be a good day to avoid avalanche terrain.

Weather Summary

The storm is finally ending and we are looking to return to back to spring, hopefully for the last time! Skies will begin to clear on Friday and winds will be light. The freezing level is forecast to be around 2300m and rising to 2600m on Saturday.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.

Regions covered