Kananaskis

Pay close attention to the quality of freeze overnight. If temperatures do not get as cold as forecast, danger levels may be higher. Danger levels are also increased by solar radiation at this time of year, so pay close attention to the aspect that you are on. 

Wednesday was HOTTTT but that is supposed to change on Thrusday as temperatures begin to drop and become more seasonal. Overnight lows around -8C are expected that will re-freeze the wet snowpack that has occurred the past few days. With that being said, snow is forecast to fall overnight with amount between 5-10cm so the quality of the freeze may not be a good as expected. Thursday the key things to observe will be the morning temperatures and quality of overnight freeze before heading into the day. 

Numerous loose wet avalanches up to sz 2 were seen on all aspects up to treeline as well as slab avalanches up to sz 2 from thin rocky solar aspects. These avalanche were generally running to the tops of their normal runouts. 

The freezing level on Thursday was quite high! Moist snow was encountered up to 3100m on solar aspects and only true north polar aspects had dry snow. Crusts on solar aspects will be the norm now and dry snow only will be found up high in the alpine on the polar sides. Watch for isolated windslabs in alpine terrain Also be thinking how quickly stability will deteriorate on solar aspects when the sun comes out. Thin, steep solar aspects will be important things to keep in mind as well as overhead cornices. 

• Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and wind exposure.
• Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.