Skiers hunting dry snow on high north aspects have encountered touchy dry loose avalanche conditions in recent days. Have a plan for managing your sluff.
Summary
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
We haven't received any reports of new slab avalanches, although a few riders reported sluffing in steep alpine terrain. Looking forward, daytime warming will increase the likelihood of wet loose avalanches on sun-exposed slopes.
Cornice falls are also possible.
Please consider sharing your observations to the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
Predominantly wind affected snow surfaces are found in the alpine. Wind-sheltered terrain may hold settled soft snow that can produce dry loose avalanches with skier traffic in steep terrain. Steep sun-exposed slopes will moisten with daytime warming and freeze into a hard melt-freeze crust overnight.
Cornices are also large and looming at this time of year.
Weather Summary
Thursday night
Clear skies with possible valley cloud below 1500 m. 15 - 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level remaining elevated, rising to 2500 m.
Friday
A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. A 1500 m to 2500 m above freezing layer dissipating and freezing level returning to 1700 m.
Saturday
Cloud dissipating to sunny skies in the morning. 10 - 15 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level to 1500 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 20 - 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature around 0 °C with freezing level to 1300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
- The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Problems
Loose Dry
Steep north-facing features produced large dry loose releases with skier traffic this week. Anticipate sluffing and have a strategy in place to manage loose snow in steep terrain.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Wet loose avalanches could occur on steep sun exposed slopes during the heat of the day. Cornices are also large and may weaken with daytime warming.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 19th, 2024 4:00PM
