Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 18th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.
dsaly,
Avalanche Canada
Be mindful of reactive slabs forming with new snow, the deepest deposits will be in areas loaded by wind. Bump the hazard to Considerable if you find more than 20 cm fresh snow in your riding area.
Summary
Confidence
High - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with flurries, 5-10 cm by morning. Treeline low -12 C. Increasing east wind, 25-40 km/h with gusts to 70 km/h.
TUESDAY: Flurries and wet snow, another 5-10 cm snow through the day. Localized snowfall may deposit up to 20 cm total accumulations by 4 pm in areas near Core Lodge and Kakwa. Treeline temperatures rising to -3 C. Wind 30-50 km/h from the northeast.Â
WEDNESDAY: Partially cloudy, isolated flurries. Treeline temperatures rising to -1 C. Light winds from the southeast.Â
THURSDAY: Partially cloudy, isolated flurries. Treeline temperatures rising to -1 C. Light winds from the southeast.Â
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche activity has been reported. Information is limited at this time of year. Please consider submitting to the Mountain Information Network!
Snowpack Summary
At treeline and higher, fresh snow will cover old wind slab and wind press, and 20-40 cm of old snow. This sits on a melt-freeze crust all aspects to 2000 m and mountain tops on solar aspects. Another prominent crust layer is found 40-70 cm deep.Â
Cornices are very large and exposure to slopes beneath them should be minimized, especially if the weather is sunny, warm, or windy. The snowpack deteriorates rapidly at lower elevations.
Terrain and Travel
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and wind exposure.
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
- Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when traveling on ridgetops.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Upwards of 15 cm flurries is forecast to accumulate by the end of Tuesday, with localized areas getting up to 20 cm. New snow is not expected to bond well with the old surfaces, particularly on the old crust. Expect slab reactivity to increase through the day, especially in wind-loaded terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers. Give them a wide berth when travelling on ridges. They are a significant hazard alone and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below. Cornice falls are more likely when the weather is sunny, warm, or windy.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 19th, 2022 4:00PM
