Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 10th, 2022–Apr 11th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Purcells.

Check for pockets of wind slab around steep and high-consequence features. Watch for easterly wind reverse loading terrain.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

Sunday night: Blustery with localized flurries, up to 10 cm. Increasing east wind. Ridgetop low - 12 C.

Monday: Unsettled and convective with clouds and patches of sun. Moderate east-northeast wind. Ridgetop high -4 C.

Tuesday: Cloudy with isolated flurries. Moderate northeast wind. Ridgetop high -9 C.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Light east wind. Ridgetop high -8 C.

Avalanche Summary

A Saturday report documented a large cornice falling naturally on a northwest aspect at 2200 m did not trigger the slope below, but the cornice itself ran quite far downslope.

Rapid warming triggered a loose wet avalanche cycle from solar slopes Last Thursday afternoon. The snowpack has since cooled and avalanche activity is unlikely, but re-frozen debris could be a real travel hazard.

Snowpack Summary

Wind has impacted 5-30 cm of recent snowfall. This covers a crust up to 2200 m and to mountain top on steep, solar slopes.

A thick rain crust with facets above from early December is buried around 100-200 cm deep. Large avalanches were naturally triggered on this layer during the last significant warming event in western terrain near the Bugaboos. With cold temperatures, avalanche activity on this layer is unlikely, however could easily wake up again with the next major input of moisture or heat.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.