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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2018–Apr 24th, 2018

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Glacier.

Rising freezing levels and strong solar input will bring increasing avalanche danger over the day.

Weather Forecast

A prolonged high pressure period begins today. Freezing levels should rise to 2100m with light ridge winds today. Tuesday freezing levels rise to 3100m with an alpine high of +4C. Freezing levels continue to rise later in the week with little or no overnight recovery.

Snowpack Summary

30cm storm snow over the weekend and moderate S through SW winds have formed wind slab on alpine lee slopes. At lower elevations storm snow insulates the old moist snow surface. Dry snow still exists on N'ly aspects at high elevations. Cornices and wind loading lurk above treeline. The April 7 crust is now down 60cm and still a concern.

Avalanche Summary

On the flanks of Mt Tupper the glide crack in Mounds slide path released naturally sometime overnight and ran size 3.5. Yesterday afternoon Cheops North 1 ran size 2.5. It is possible that this slide was human triggered as skiers were in the area. Yesterday our field team was able to push moist surface sluffs to size 0.5 below 1700m on a W aspect.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.