Chic-Choc Mountains

Mild temperatures seem to have helped stabilize the wind slabs, but we remind you that avalanches were triggered by skiers on Sunday in the Mount Albert alpine.

With a low rating, smaller avalanches in isolated or extreme terrain are still possible.

No new avalanche observations reported or observed.

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Since Saturday, we have received between 10 and 15 cm of new snow. Although we have had a few episodes of moderate southerly winds, these seem to have had little effect on snow distribution and winds have been light since. In the alpine, on the northern slopes, this new snow is resting directly on a thick crust. This new snow seems to be well adhered, most of the time, to this crust. On solar aspects, a thin crust of refreeze will be seen in this snow interface. At and below the treeline, in areas protected from the wind, the new snow rests on a thin refreezing crust, followed by 10 to 20 cm of slightly denser snow that rests on the March 18 crust. The middle of the snowpack is well consolidated, and of increasing density, interspersed with several refreezing crusts from the last few weeks.

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Synopsis: Light instabilities bringing light precipitation and light windsMonday night and overnight: Light snow, 1 to 3 cm. Wind north 5 to 10 km/h. Low -7. Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Trace of snow. Wind 10 to 15 km/h from the northwest. Max. -4C. Freezing level at 550m. Wednesday: Cloudy, light snow. Wind 5 to 10 km/h from the southwest. Max. 1. Freezing level at 550m. Thursday: Snow. Wind 10 to 30 km/h from the southeast. Max -1. Freezing level at 250m.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.

• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
• Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
• Highmark or enter your line well below ridge crests to avoid wind loaded pillows.