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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 14th, 2022–Apr 15th, 2022

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

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. 

Observations are very limited this time of year. If you are getting out in the backcountry, please consider contributing to the Mountain Information Network.  

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. 

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.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.