Avalanche Forecast
Regions: South Rockies.
Wind slabs may remain reactive, especially in the east of the region where it has snowed recently.
Large cornices may fail under the weight of a human. Give them a wide berth when travelling on ridges and watch for signs that they may be weakening with extended sun exposure.
Confidence
Low - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.
Weather Forecast
Thursday night: Mainly cloudy with a chance of flurries, light east wind, treeline low around -15 °C.
Friday: Mainly cloudy with sunny breaks, light variable wind, treeline high around -6 °C.
Saturday: Mainly sunny in the morning, a mix of sun and cloud in the afternoon, light east wind, treeline high around -4 °C.
Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with a chance of flurries, light to moderate west wind, treeline high around -3 °C.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported over the past few days.Â
Observations are very limited this time of year. If you are getting out in the backcountry, please consider contributing to the Mountain Information Network. Â
Snowpack Summary
10-30 cm of snow sits over a widespread melt-freeze crust which formed during the major warming event on April 8. Most recently, eastern upslope areas of the region have seen a few centimetres of snow flurries accumulating each day from the storm system impacting the prairies. Observations suggest as much as 20 cm of new snow may have accumulated in the east of the region over the past few days. Recent periods of strong wind from the northeast through southeast are expected to have redistributed the recent snowfall in exposed high elevation terrain forming small wind slabs which may still be reactive, especially in the east of the region.Â
The middle and lower snowpack are currently well settled and strong.
Terrain and Travel
- Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when traveling on ridgetops.
- When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent winds from the northeast through southeast have redistributed the recent snowfall into small wind slabs in exposed terrain features. Reactive wind slabs may still be lingering, especially along eastern upslope areas of the region which received snow accumulation over the past few days.
Aspects: North, South, South West, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5
Cornices
Cornices have grown large recently but are generally not expected to fail naturally with the current cold conditions. However, human-triggered cornices are possible so give them a wide berth when travelling on ridges and watch for signs that they may be weakening if they are exposed to extended periods of sun.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3