Avalanche forecast

Purcells

Apr 6 – 7, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 10 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

It will almost feel like summer for the next couple days. The heat and sunshine will cause the avalanche danger to rise during the day, especially on solar aspects. Choose terrain carefully. 

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    3–6
    Cornices could fail easily during the day when temperatures soar and the sun reappears. 

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3–6
    Intense solar radiation, a heavy wet surface sluff, or a cornice fall could be enough to trigger lurking deep weaknesses.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Rapid warming and strong spring sunshine are a perfect recipe for loose wet avalanche activity in steep terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY: Becoming mainly sunny. The freezing level shoots up to 3400 m. Winds should ease to light and variable. FRIDAY: Mainly sunny. The freezing level stays well above 3000 m and winds should remain light. SATURDAY: A mix of sun and cloud. The freezing level could drop to 2500 m and winds could kick up to moderate from the west.

Avalanche Summary

A couple small skier-triggered wind slabs (size 1) were triggered in steep wind-loaded terrain on Tuesday. One size 2.5 slab avalanche was observed near Golden on Monday. This wet slab was accidentally triggered by skiers late on Sunday on a sun-exposed alpine slope. Expect loose wet slides, natural cornice falls, and the potential for isolated persistent slabs on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

A dusting of new snow sits on a melt-freeze crust at all elevations and on all aspects. The exception to this could be high north-facing slopes where cold dry snow might still exist. Forecast snow and wind on Wednesday may have created fresh pockets of wind slab in lee alpine terrain. The March 22nd rain crust is 30-40 cm deep and is present to around 2000 m. The late February persistent weak layer is now down 40-100 cm below the surface. Both of these persistent weaknesses could wake up again as temperatures soar and the sun returns later this week.

Regions covered