Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 6th, 2016 9:16AM
The alpine rating is Storm Slabs, Persistent Slabs and Cornices.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeSummary
Confidence
Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain
Weather Forecast
A clearing and cooling trend should bring freezing levels down to valley bottoms overnight. A mix of sun and cloud on Monday with periods of light precipitation and moderate westerly winds. A mix of sun and cloud on Tuesday with light winds. A diurnal freeze/thaw cycle setting up with freezing down to valley bottoms overnight and then rising up to 1500 metres during the day. No change for Wednesday, but a new system moving into the region on Wednesday night.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanches continued to release down 40-60 cm on Friday up to size 2.5, and on Saturday up to size 3.0. Reports from Thursday that several natural size 2.0 slab avalanches and one size 3.0 storm slab were suspected to have released on the late February surface hoar layer. There was also a report of a size 3.0 avalanche remotely triggered by a skier that was 20 metres away.
Snowpack Summary
New snow continues to develop the storm slab that is 40-60cm thick and bonding poorly to a crust on previously sun-exposed slopes and surface hoar (February 27th or late February) on shady and sheltered slopes. Thicker and touchier wind slabs are lurking throughout exposed terrain at and above treeline. A couple of sun crusts might exist in the upper 50-70cm on southerly aspects. The surface hoar and/or crust layer which was buried February 10 is now down around a metre and is still producing isolated hard sudden results in snowpack tests. Large cornices will be getting weak with warmer temperatures.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 7th, 2016 2:00PM