Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 24th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs, Loose Wet and Persistent Slabs.
jsmith,
Avalanche Canada
40 to 50 cm of recent snow may settle into reactive storm slabs, especially in wind affected terrain.
Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the recent snow.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Numerous naturally triggered size 1 dry loose avalanches and several rider triggered size 1 storm slabs were reported on all aspects at treeline and above on Saturday.
Snowpack Summary
40 to 50 cm of recent snow may settle into reactive storm slabs, especially in wind affected terrain. This snow overlies predominantly crusty surfaces, except for northerly aspects at upper elevations.
A widespread, hard crust with facets above is buried 80 to 120 cm down in the South Rockies and up to 200 cm in the Lizard range. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer. However, when a thick surface crust is present, human triggering this layer is unlikely.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.
Monday
Mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.
Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for additional weather information.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for changing conditions today, storm slabs may become increasingly reactive.
- Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
- If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
- Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.
Problems
Storm Slabs
40 to 50 cm of recent snow may settle into reactive storm slabs, especially in wind affected terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Wet loose avalanches will become increasingly likely when solar radiation is strong.
Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
A crust with weak facets above is down 80 to 200 cm. Large triggers such as smaller avalanches in motion could trigger this layer.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 25th, 2024 4:00PM
