Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 20th, 2013 10:24AM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeSummary
Confidence
Fair - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
The Interior will remain under a cool, dry North-West flow through to Tuesday. A slow warming trend will persist through the end of next week.Sunday: Scattered-broken cloud cover, allowing some sunshine through. Â Ridgetop winds will blow light from the North. Freezing levels 1100 m and falling to valley bottom overnight.Monday/Tuesday: Mostly clear, sunny skies. Ridgetop winds will blow light from the NW. Freezing levels 1800 m in the afternoon.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, numerous size 1.5-2 wind slab avalanches were skier triggered. All of which were from 35-40 degree slopes on NE aspects above 2100 m. All of these avalanches failed within the recent storm snow interface approximately 30 cm down, and the early April interface around 80 cm down. One of these was remotely triggered from 15 m away, size 2.Â
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20 cm of new snow overlies a variety of old snow surfaces. These consist of melt-freeze crusts, buried surface hoar and surface facets. Touchy wind slabs exist on lee slopes and behind terrain features. Cornices on ridgelines have grown large, and pose a threat to slopes below.Deeper in the snowpack a weak interface buried in early April is down about 60-120 cm and consists of a crust and surface hoar. Earlier this week, very large avalanches were reactive on this interface in neighboring regions. The bond may be getting stronger, but I would still use caution and be suspicious of large, steep upper elevation slopes.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 21st, 2013 2:00PM