Spring Conditions. Sunny skies and very high freezing levels increases the avalanche danger. The surface crust holds the snowpack together and may break down rapidly if there is no re-freeze overnight.
Weather Forecast
High pressure is building and is expected to bring the warmest temperatures of the year to date. SUNDAY: some high cloud, dry, light southerly wind, and freezing levels rising up to at around 3000 metres which means treeline temperatures around plus 10 degrees. MONDAY: clear & sunny, dry, light wind and freezing levels even higher at 3500 metres. Tuesday: more of the same but possibly even slightly warmer.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported, but we have very few eyes and ears still in the mountains reporting. Most commercial operations in the region have finished their season and data is sparse.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface is currently going through a typical spring melt-freeze cycle on all aspects and at all elevations, except possibly high true-north slopes which could be holding onto cold snow. The strength (thickness) of the surface crust and how quickly it breaks down during the day are important factors to focus on. Watch for new snow releasing as loose wet avalanches when the sun comes out. Watch for very warm temperatures developing this weekend through Tuesday or Wednesday; the hottest weather this year is forecast, possibly testing the snowpack's ability to gracefully melt away. Little or no overnight freezing would intensify this test.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Wet Slabs
Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.