Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Mar 30 – 31, 2014Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Prolonged sun exposure may initiate natural avalanche activity, especially on south through west facing slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–4
    Strong winds have created isolated pencil hard wind slabs 20 - 50 cm in depth at and above treeline. Where new snow is available for transport, soft slabs may be found too.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    3–6
    At this point the deep persistent weak layers would likely require a specific trigger like cornice fall, a surface avalanche in motion, or a rider finding the sweet spot, to be activated.

Confidence

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Synopsis: A ridge of high pressure over the NWT continues to advance south. Looks like continued cool and dry conditions for the NW for the forecast period. The models show an organized system that approaches the north coast Wednesday/Thursday, check back tomorrow for more details. Monday: Freezing Level: 800 - 1300m; Precipitation: Nil; Wind: Treeline: Light, NW | Ridgetop: Light, NWTuesday: Freezing Level: 600 - 1300m Precipitation: Nil; Wind: Treeline: Light, SW | Ridgetop: Moderate, WWednesday: Freezing Level: 400m - 1300m; Precipitation: Trace; Wind: Treeline: Light, S | Ridgetop: Moderate, SW

Avalanche Summary

No avalanche observations from Saturday.On Friday loose snow was sluffing to size 1, several sluffs initiated thin size 1 slabs running on an old suncrust. There was a second hand report of a skier triggered size 2 avalanche at treeline that resulted in the skier going for a ride. Sounds like everyone made it out okay, and that the folks involved will head back later in the spring to find their lost gear. If you were part of this incident, we'd love it if you'd fill out a report. Thanks!

Snowpack Summary

Strong Easterly winds have been reported to have caused intense wind transport of the recent storm snow, developing pockets of wind slab on various aspects in the alpine and at treeline. Forecast cool temperatures are not expected to promote much settling or bonding of the near surface layers, and probably not much change to the persistent weak layers. The deeply buried persistent weak layers continue to provide moderate to hard sudden planar results in snow profile tests, but may be deep enough to require a heavy load for triggering. The March weak layer is a combination of hard wind-scoured slab surfaces in exposed terrain, facets and/or surface hoar in sheltered and north aspects, and sun crust on steep solar aspects. This layer is widespread throughout the forecast region and is now buried close to 150cm in most parts of the area. A late January/early February crust/facet/surface hoar combo is now buried 200 cm or more.

Regions covered