Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Waterton Lakes.
Cameron Lake area seems to be holding more snow than other areas of the park. Still very difficult travel below 1800m, use extra caution.
Weather Forecast
Friday: 5cm of new snow expected by the morning, mostly clear. L-M ridgetop winds. Alpine high -13. FL valley bottom.
Saturday: Partially cloudy with snow beginning in the evening. Alpine high - 6. S-X ridgetop winds. FL valley bottom
Sunday: 15-20cm of snow by end of day. Alpine high - 8. Ridgetop winds taper to M. FL valley bottom
Snowpack Summary
Up to 35cm of unconsolidated storm snow is being redistributed into surface windslabs. This overlies a 20-40cm buried windslab ALP/TL atop a 10cm Dec 4 rain crust with facets below. A 20-60 cm thick November melt freeze crust complex completes the snowpack to ground. BTL has just reached threshold in some places. Snow depth at TL is 100 - 170 cm
Avalanche Summary
Several dry loose avalanches observed to size 2 on Wednesday, nothing stepping down to deeper layers. Observations in this area are still limited, if you go out into the mountains please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
New storm snow is being redistributed by strong winds and is creating surface windslabs. In addition a buried 20 to 40cm windslab sits on the Dec rain crust.
- Use caution on steep lee and cross-loaded slopes
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Persistent Slabs
No avalanches observed on this layer this week, however with a large enough trigger this layer could produce results.
- If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3
Loose Dry
As winds increase in the coming days exposed slopes will transition to windslab and this problem will only exist in steep sheltered locations.
- Be careful of loose dry sluffing in steep, confined or exposed terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5