Avalanche Forecast
South Rockies
Recent precipitation fell as snow at higher elevations and a mix of snow and rain at lower elevations. Observe for signs of instability, such as cracking, whumpfing, and avalanche activity -- each elevation band will be different.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Keep an eye out for localized areas of deeper snow accumulation, particularly on eastern slopes.
- Observe for signs of instability, such as cracking, whumpfing, and avalanche activity.
- Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline. Storm snow may form touchy slabs.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
High freezing levels and recent rain have moistened the snowpack at lower elevations. Use caution in terrain features where a small avalanche could have serious consequences.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for signs that the snow is moistening such as pin-wheeling and point-releases below cliffs.
- Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where small avalanches can have high consequence.
Avalanche Problem 3: Deep Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Deeply buried weak layers linger in the snowpack. These layers are most likely to be triggered from thin snowpack areas.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid steep, rocky, and shallow snowpack areas where triggering deeper layers is more likely.
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could trigger deep persistent slabs.
Avalanche Summary
Loose wet avalanches were reactive to skier traffic below treeline on Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
Around 15 to 25 mm of water equivalent fell in the region on Thursday. This would have fallen as snow at higher elevations (likely up to 25 cm of snow) and partially as rain at low elevations. This precipitation fell on a thick melt-freeze crust that exists on all aspects from recent warm temperatures and rain, except for possibly higher elevations on north aspects. The upper snowpack may still be wet at low elevations.
A weak layer of surface hoar buried mid-February exists in parts of the region around 50 to 80 cm deep. The lower snowpack is weak with a combination of crusts and facets near the bottom of the snowpack that are widespread.
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY: Early-morning sunshine and afternoon clouds, light easterly winds, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level rising to 2000 m.
SATURDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 10 cm, light northeasterly winds, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level 1500 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 to 10 cm, light easterly winds, alpine temperature -9 C, freezing level 1200 m.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- South Rockies URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/south-rockies.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Around 15 to 25 cm of snow likely fell at higher elevations in the region, particularly in the eastern slopes. Observe for signs of poor bonding of the new snow with underlying surfaces.