Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 8th, 2019–May 9th, 2019

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

Waterton Lakes.

This is the last avalanche bulletin for the winter. For current information on avalanche conditions, check Avalanche Canada and the ACMG Mountain Conditions Report, or call 1-888-WARDENS and ask to speak with a Waterton Visitor Safety Technician.

Weather Forecast

A current overall weather forecast can be found at: https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast, and local forecasts can be found at https://spotwx.com

Snowpack Summary

In most areas we are seeing a typical spring snowpack (a thick crust that is breaking down during the day over moist snow). The exception is high North facing terrain where weak layers deep on the snowpack have been triggered by cornice fall. See the Avalanche Canada Spring Conditions Guide for detailed information on typical spring scenarios.

Avalanche Summary

Increasing temperatures in the next weeks will lead to increased avalanche activity where and cornice failures where snow remains; especially during the hottest parts of the day, or during periods of rain.

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.

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.