Avalanche Forecast
Kananaskis Country, Alberta Parks
It is still very wintery out there with cool temps and strong winds. Surface wind slabs and buried wind slabs will become more sensitive to triggering with the ongoing wind loading.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Evaluate unsupported slopes critically.
- Avoid freshly wind loaded features.
- Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopes
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The March 15 crust layer is one to watch for on solar aspects. Previously formed wind slabs over this weak layer are reactive in steep and unsupported features.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid steep Southerly aspects.
Avalanche Summary
No slab activity noted today, but loose dry avalanches up to size 2.0 were observed in steep Alpine terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Between 5 and 10cm of new snow today from convective flurries. Moderate to strong winds continue to add to the existing wind slab problem, but slab formation is variable and not as widespread as expected. The recent snow is sluffing in steep Alpine terrain. In addition to the surface slabs, forecasters continue to watch for buried slabs that sit on the March 15th crust. Watch for this specifically on solar aspects. In addition, several different wind slab interfaces are found in wind prone areas. Human triggering of wind slabs of various depths is possible.
Weather Forecast
Thursday will be cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Ridge-top temperatures should reach -9 °C with moderate westerly winds. A brief storm is expected Friday with as much as 15cm of snow possible. Spring conditions are nowhere to be found with overnight lows near -18 °C and generally cool and cloudy days for the rest of the week.
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Wind slab development continues in the Alpine and in lee and cross-loaded features at Treeline. Expect some natural avalanche activity in steep terrain and be aware that human-triggering is likely in recently wind loaded features.