Weak snowpack causing increased risk of avalanches in Alberta, B.C.

Forecasters expect avalanche danger to be a persistent problem in Alberta and British Columbia this winter and are urging outdoor enthusiasts to beware the backcountry.

Forecasters expect avalanche danger to be a persistent problem in Alberta and British Columbia this winter and are urging outdoor enthusiasts to beware the backcountry.

Simon Horton, senior forecaster with Avalanche Canada, says the snowpack is unusually weak due to long periods of cold, dry weather in November and December.

“It has to do with buried weak layers that are sitting underneath up to a metre of snow and so, if anyone triggers an avalanche on one of these layers, it’s going to be quite large,” he told CTV News.

As of Tuesday, the Kananaskis area is under considerable avalanche risk at alpine and treeline levels, according to data made available on the Avalanche Canada website.

Meanwhile, the Banff area is at moderate risk.

It’s all based on a scale of five, with moderate being a two and considerable being a three.

“Even at moderate danger, there’s heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features, and that large human-triggered avalanches are possible under those conditions,” Horton said.