Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 26th, 2016 8:18AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Cornices and Wind Slabs.

jlammers, Avalanche Canada

South Rockies.

A storm is expected to arrive Sunday night. If it arrives early, the Avalanche Danger may be higher than posted.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Sunday

Weather Forecast

Between 10-15 cm of new snow is expected to fall from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning Winds associated with the system should be moderate to strong from the west. A dry ridge of high pressure will bring increasingly clear skies for Monday afternoon and Tuesday. Daytime freezing levels should hover around 1700m for the forecast period.

Avalanche Summary

Sporadic cornice falls have occurred over the last week, some triggering slabs on the slope below. Otherwise, no new avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Large cornices overhang alpine slopes and threaten to trigger avalanches on slopes below. Recently formed wind slabs may be isolated to alpine wind-loaded terrain. In many places, the snow surface consists of a crust or moist snow and the snowpack is generally strong. Deeply buried weak layers near the ground are becoming hard to find, but may remain sensitive to triggering from thin snowpack areas or with large loads such as cornice fall.

Problems

Cornices

Large fragile cornices threaten many slopes. A cornice fall could be the large trigger required to awaken deeper weak layers.

Do not travel on slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.>Stay well to the windward side of corniced ridges.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs from a few days ago may still be reactive to the weight of a rider. I'd be increasingly cautious in higher elevation lee terrain. If Sunday night's precipitation arrives early, new wind slabs may also form.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Be alert to conditions that change with elevation.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 27th, 2016 2:00PM