Avalanche forecast

Purcells

Apr 11 – 12, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
No rating
Treeline
No rating
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Spring Conditions. Forecast cloud cover, cooler air temperatures, and dropping freezing levels will all contribute to decrease the likelihood and size of avalanches. Avoid slopes that do not develop a solid crust overnight.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–5
    The likelihood of natural cornice falls will drop as the cloud cover increases and the freezing levels drop.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Loose wet avalanche activity is expected to decrease with forecast cloud cover and descending freezing levels. Watch for slopes that do not re-freeze overnight.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    3–6
    Wet slab avalanche activity is expected to decrease with forecast cloud cover and descending freezing levels. Watch for slopes that do not re-freeze overnight.

Weather Forecast

High cloud developing overnight with freezing levels dipping down to 2000 metres by morning. Mix of sun and cloud on Tuesday morning, becoming cloudy with moderate southwest winds in the afternoon. Freezing levels dropping to 1500 metres by Wednesday morning with moderate southwest winds and 3-5 cm of new snow above 1500 metres. Cloudy with light winds during the day on Wednesday. Mix of sun and cloud on Thursday with overnight freezing down to 1300 metres.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanches up to size 3.0 were reported from Sunday in the central Purcells on alpine features with solar exposed aspects. Some glide cracks were also reported releasing up to size 2.5 during the heat of the day.

Snowpack Summary

The snow surface is currently going through a typical spring melt-freeze cycle on all aspects and at all elevations, except possibly high true-north slopes which could be holding onto cold snow. A moist/wet, isothermal, and rapidly melting snowpack exists on all aspects below around 1500 m and probably even higher on solar aspects. The strength (thickness) of the surface crust and how quickly it breaks down during the day are important factors to focus on.

Regions covered