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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 3rd, 2020–Dec 6th, 2020

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

The wind effected upper snowpack will be stressed by rapid warming caused by a strong temperature inversion in our area. Be mindful of your overhead hazard if you plan on venturing into the backcounty this weekend.

Weather Forecast

Alpine temperature inversion will be prevalent throughout the forecast period.

Thurs night- Freezing levels at valley bottom.

Friday- Mostly Sunny. Strong West wind in townsite, moderate at Cameron Lake. Alpine high of +5 with cooler temps at lower elevations.

Saturday- Sunny. Freezing levels above mt. top with inversion.

Sunday- Sunny. Alpine high 0.

Snowpack Summary

Wind transport has scoured SW aspects to ground in exposed alpine terrain. Northerly aspects & protected areas have wind slab 5-40cm thick over a melt freeze crust. Lower snowpack is beginning to facet below this crust.

Snowpack @ 2000m: Cameron Lake 80cm. Less than 30cm in rest of park. Below tree line elevation is under threshold snowpack height.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed.

Confidence

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.