Archived forecast for Sunday, March 10, 2024

This is archived in relation to a fatality on 3/10 on or near Spray Valley. The avalanche.ca archives are a bit awkward with flexible regions and the result from clicking on the map can differ from that obtained by the location search. We have tried to get the best result by first using the map and then the location search in that area. We believe the advisory here was in effect for Spray Valley on 3/10.

They also date advisories by the ending date so this was listed as 3/11 but expired at 0200 that day.

Date Issued: Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 02:00
Valid Until: Monday, March 11, 2024 at 02:00
Prepared by: Dvonk

SPAW In Effect

Areas of Kananaskis Country are intermittently closed for avalanche control using EXPLOSIVES. Closures will be indicated in headline below.
A smaller storm is due to arrive over the next couple days. This will increase the already heightened danger ratings we are dealing with. Fresh windslabs will be easily triggered and step down to lower layers in the snowpack is highly likely.

A Special Public Avalanche Warning is in effect and has been extended. Click the red SPAW link for details.

Danger Ratings
Sunday
Alpine: 3 - Considerable
Treeline: 3 - Considerable
Below Treeline: 2 - Moderate

Terrain and Travel Advice

    Potential for wide propagation exists, fresh slabs may rest on surface hoar, facets and/or crust.
    Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
    If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Problems

Avalanche Problem 1: Wind slab
What Elevation? - Treeline, Alpine
Which Slopes? - North, Northeast, East, Southeast, south, Southwest, West, Northwest
Chances of Avalanches? - Very likely
Expected Size? - Large

New slabs extend well below ridge lines. Expect crossloading in most features. Cornice failures may also trigger this layer.

Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent slab
What Elevation? - Treeline, Alpine
Which Slopes? - North, Northeast, East, Southeast, south, Southwest, West, Northwest
Chances of Avalanches? - Very likely
Expected Size? - Large

This layer is breaking down at the upper limits. At 2250m it is much weaker than last week.

Avalanche Problem 3: Deep persistent slab
What Elevation? - Below treeline, Treeline, Alpine
Which Slopes? - North, Northeast, East, Southeast, south, Southwest, West, Northwest
Chances of Avalanches? - Possible
Expected Size? - Large - Very large

Avalanches may step down to the weaker deep basal layers. If this layer is involved, expect full path avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed today. The sun is really starting to have some power. Solar aspects are becoming moist in the afternoons and pinwheeling is a good indicator of the surface snow loosing cohesion.

Snowpack Summary

The winds continue to blow in the higher elevations. Visible transport was observed throughout the whole day in Canmore and along the spray. Fresh wind loading can be expected from all the available snow in fetch area's. On solar aspects there is a sun crust forming and soon to be buried if the forecasted snow is true, this will create a new sliding layer to be aware of. The Feb 2nd crust continues to break down.

Weather Summary

Mainly cloudy with sunny periods. Flurries throughout the day may accumulate up to 5 cm. Day time high of -7 and winds will be Southwest at 35 km/h Gusting to 60km.

Over the next 3.5 days most forecasts re calling for roughly 25cm.

Confidence: High