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Avalanche Forecast

Mar 12th, 2019–Mar 13th, 2019
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Northwest Coastal.

The snowpack needs time to adjust to the shock of a big, long awaited storm. With surface hoar and sugary facets below the new snow it may take longer than usual to stabilize.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy. Dry. Light west wind. Treeline temperatures around -6 C.WEDNESDAY: Moderate to strong south wind. Treeline temperatures around -8 C. Snow starting late in the day and overnight; 10 to 15 cm accumulations by Thursday morning. Cloudy.THURSDAY: Moderate to strong southwest wind. Treeline temperatues -5 to -10 C. Light snow with an additional 5 to 10 cm. CloudyFRIDAY: Moderate south wind. Warmer with treeline temperatures approaching zero. Trace new snow. Cloudy.

Avalanche Summary

One size 2 windslab in the north of the region is worth noting: it was remotely triggered from 100 m away suggesting some sort of a persistent slab structure that won't heal overnight.In the south part of the region clouds limited observations but avalanche reports include numerous natural size 2 avalanches on all kinds of terrain 35 degrees or steeper, numerous remotely triggered size 2 slides. I suspect we'll learn more when the visibility improves and people see more terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Monday's widespread and reactive storm slabs and wind slabs should be settling down by Wednesday with the exception of colder, more northerly areas which have significantly more "wintery" temperatures. Expect instabilities to last longer in places like Bear Pass or Ningunsaw.The 40 to 60 cm of storm snow buried a wide variety of surfaces with the key idea being they're pretty much all crappy. Rule of thumb: the longer snow is exposed on the surface the less likely it'll bond when buried. Recently covered were surface hoar, sun crusts, and a widespread weak faceted (sugary) upper snowpack. It seems the old surfaces (aka Feb 19 surface hoar / facets) were as much the critical weak interface as the bottom of the storm snow.The lower snowpack is generally strong.

Avalanche Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm snow concern is greatest in colder areas in the north. Forecast winds focus concerns to wind loaded features.Previous weaknesses in the upper snowpack (30 - 40 cm of sugary facets) were activate during the storm; see Persistent Slabs below.
Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5

Persistent Slabs

Reports of remotely triggered wind and storm slabs on Monday suggest conditions more like a "persistent slab" problem. All the new snow is making old surface hoar and sugary facets in the upper snowpack layers to watch.
Storm or wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Watch exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent slopes.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 2 - 3