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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 15th, 2023–Mar 16th, 2023

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

Regions

North Rockies, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Tumbler.

Moderate southerly winds may have created reactive wind slabs at higher elevations.

Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported in this region on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Southerly winds continue to redistribute the 15 to 25 cm of recent snow. Higher elevation wind slabs may remain reactive.

The new snow is sitting on generally hard surfaces from extensive wind effects or a thin sun crust on steep, sunny slopes.

The middle of the snowpack is generally well-settled and consolidated.

A weak layer of large and fragile facets is found near the base of the snowpack. This layer is of most significant concern in shallow snowpack areas in the north and east of the region.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with clearing through the night, trace accumulation, winds southwest 25 to 35 km/h, treeline temperatures -9 °C.

Thursday

Mostly sunny with cloudy periods, no accumulation, winds southwest 40 to 50 km/h, treeline temperatures -5 °C with freezing levels reaching 1200 m.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud, no accumulation, winds southwest 20 to 30 km/h, freezing levels rising to 1500 m.

Saturday

A mix of sun and cloud, no accumulation, winds southerly 20 to 25 km/h, freezing levels getting up to 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.

Problems

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.