The conditions demand careful decision-making and respect for the terrain. If you’re heading out, avoid overhead exposure and keep objectives simple—this is big mountain snow with significant consequences. Natural activity is tapering off, but there is real potential for human triggering.
Refer to 511 Alberta for road updates
Ongoing moderate to strong winds are redistributing new snow from the past week, resulting in considerable loading of lee features across a range of aspects.
December 19th avalanche control along highway 93N produced large destructive deep persistent slab avalanches. This problem encompasses multiple weak layers of facets, crusts, and basal facets from November and December.
The latest road Patrol on Dec 22 had much better visibility; we still have very limited observations, especially in the alpine. A recent large avalanche (size 3) was observed on Parkers Ridge on a typical lee feature. Likely initiated by building windslab, but it is very deep in the storm snow.
December 19th Avalanche control on Highway 93N produced numerous avalanches up to size 4. Very impressive and very destructive.
The Icefields have been absolutely hammered, with ~160 cm of new snow in this recent cycle. With the new snow comes serious complexity: moderate to strong winds have been actively loading lee slopes, triggering large avalanches across the region—some paths have even cycled and reloaded. At TL, sheltered areas are holding up to 2m of snow, and recent profiles at treeline and below in Parkers Ridge show significant layering, though no alarming results from tests.
Overnight: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 5 cm. Temperature: Low -12 °C. Light wind, south.
Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods. No Precipitation. Temperature: High -11 °C. Light ridge wind.
Wednesday: Flurries. Accumulation: 7 cm. Temperature: Low -11 °C, High -3 °C. Ridge wind south: 10 km/h.
WednesdayOvernight: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 5 cm. Temperature: Low -12 °C. Light wind, south.
Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods. No Precipitation. Temperature: High -11 °C. Light ridge wind.
Wednesday: Flurries. Accumulation: 7 cm. Temperature: Low -11 °C, High -3 °C. Ridge wind south: 10 km/h.
ThursdayOvernight: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 5 cm. Temperature: Low -12 °C. Light wind, south.
Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods. No Precipitation. Temperature: High -11 °C. Light ridge wind.
Wednesday: Flurries. Accumulation: 7 cm. Temperature: Low -11 °C, High -3 °C. Ridge wind south: 10 km/h.
