Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 19th, 2024–Jan 20th, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Increasing winds and temperatures are promoting new windslabs in the alpine and treeline. Tread carefully in freshly wind loaded areas.

Tomorrow is Alberta Park's Winter Safety Day! Be at Burstall Pass tomorrow at 11am for a taste of all things involving safety and winter. Free Hotdogs!!

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A few small slabs and loose dry avalanches were noted from a couple of days ago up to sz2, but nothing new as of today.

Snowpack Summary

Winds picked up in all areas today, with the biggest impact being felt at treeline and above. Areas near, or on the divide saw significant wind transport. This has changed the distribution of windslabs to the more eastern aspects and increased their thickness to 5-20cm. With rising temperatures, these slabs will quickly build with all the available snow. Windslabs are resting on a variety of surfaces, but for the most part they can be summed up by being described as loose and facetted with a poor bond to the new windslabs. By tomorrow afternoon, windslabs could be touchy, and easy to trigger.

Weather Summary

Temperatures are expected to continue their upward push. Today saw a significant warming trend at Burstall Pass with a daytime high of -6. That will remain the overnight low, with another jump to a tropical -3 for Saturday's high. With the rising temps, expect SW winds to also pick up to the moderate range at ridgetops. Flurries will continue all day and bring a few centimeters to help freshen up the slopes.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.
Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.

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.