Avalanche forecast

Cariboos

Mar 4 – 5, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    The storm has left many large cornices in it's wake on lee slopes, many of which may be teetering on the brink of failure. Cornice fall has the potential to initiate large destructive avalanches.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    3–7
    A weak layer of surface hoar and/or a crust is now down 100 - 150 cm. The coming days will reveal more about the sensitivity of this layer, but it's still suspect at the present time.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–6
    Human triggering remains a concern as the snowpack adjusts to it's new load. Storm slab avalanches have the potential to step down to the buried surface hoar resulting in large destructive avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanches were observed up to size 3.0 on various aspects in the alpine and at the treeline. Explosives controlled avalanches were reported up to size 3.5 from various aspects in the alpine. Some cornice fall was reported up to size 2.0, and one snow-machine accidental avalanche was reported to be size 3.0 from a North aspect at about 1700 metres elevation.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Synopsis: A ridge of High pressure over the Eastern Pacific will provide a mix of sun and clouds with some chance of light precipitation for the next 2-3 days. Winds are expected to be light Northeasterly and alpine temperatures should be around -11.0.

Snowpack Summary

The Caribous picked up an extra 20 - 40 cm Saturday night which brings the recent storm total to 60 - 100cm.  Strong winds out of both the SW and more recently NW have formed wind slabs on lee aspects in the alpine and wind exposed treeline elevations. The weak Feb. 12 surface hoar layer is now down 100 - 150 cm.  This layer along with a deeper weak layer from late January continue to show planar failures when moderate to hard forces are applied in snow pack tests. 

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