Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 14th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs and Loose Wet.
TRettie,
Avalanche Canada
Avoid avalanche terrain at treeline and above. Give the storm snow time to bond to the underlying surfaces.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
Monday night: stormy with 10 to 30 cm of new snow expected at higher elevations. Freezing levels rising to 1800 m. Moderate to strong southwest winds.
Tuesday: stormy with 10 to 30 cm of new snow . Moderate to strong southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 1800 m.
Wednesday: a mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Freezing levels rising to 1500 m. Light westerly winds.
Thursday: a mix of sun and cloud with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light to moderate southwest winds and freezing levels rising to 1700 m.
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday two size two natural storm slab avalanches were observed in the lizard range. One of these is believed to have been triggered by a cornice failure. Details on these avalanches is limited.
On Saturday ski cutting produced several slab avalanches to size 1.5 in treeline terrain. Natural loose dry avalanches to size 1.5 were observed in alpine and treeline terrain.
On Friday one sled triggered size two slab avalanche was reported. This avalanche was triggered in an open treeline feature on a west aspect and is believed to have failed on the late January layer.
On Tuesday a group of skiers remotely triggered a slab avalanche on an east aspect near ridgetop. We suspect it failed on facets above a crust. Wind loading above this layer was a factor.
Snowpack Summary
New wind and storm slabs will likely build over night and throughout the day on Tuesday. Wind slab will likely be found on north and east aspects. A crust on solar aspects from last week could be found down around 30 cm on solar aspects. Moist snow could be observed at lower elevations.
A substantial crust from the start of March is down 30 to 50 cm in the far southern part of the region.
The late January surface hoar layer is burried more than a meter deep.
Terrain and Travel
- Storm snow and wind is forming touchy slabs. Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.
- Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.
- As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
Problems
Storm Slabs
New storm and wind slabs will form over Monday night and throughout the day on Tuesday. These slabs will be largest and most reactive on north and east aspects where wind loading is likely to take place.
Precipitation will likely fall as rain at lower elevations. This could result in wet loose avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Rain at lower elevations could result in wet loose avalanches running naturally in steep terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Below Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 15th, 2022 4:00PM
