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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 6th, 2016–Apr 7th, 2016

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Kananaskis.

Freezing levels will climb to 3400 on thursday with clearing skies.  Start early and think about overhead terrain that may already be in the sun.

Confidence

High - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

HIgh freezing levels and WARM temps are forecast for Thursday.  The sun will have a large influence on stability over the next 24hrs so be sure to keep a mindful eye on the aspect and overhead terrain as you travel.

Avalanche Summary

Little to no avalanche activity in the last 24 hours to report.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack saw less affect from solar radiation today with the cooler temperatures but overall, the snowpack is isothermal down lower, and hard and frozen at higher elevations.  North aspects still have some sheers in the upper snowpack 2500m and above but below this the snowpack is a series of crusts and isothermal snow.

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.

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.

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.