Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Regions
South Rockies.
Sunshine and rising temperatures will elevate the avalanche danger throughout the week. Be aware of changing conditions throughout the day and avoid overhead hazards. This is our final daily forecast for the season which will expire on April 25th.
Confidence
Low - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY: Sunny. Moderate southwest wind. Alpine temperature +5. Freezing level rapidly rising to 3200 m.WEDNESDAY: Sunny. Light northwest wind. Alpine temperature +3. Freezing level 2700 m.THURSDAY: Sunny. Light west wind. Alpine temperature +10. Freezing level soaring to 3700 m.
Avalanche Summary
Avalanche reports have been limited due to very few information sources this time of year. If you have been out, please post your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Snowpack Summary
Cornices are BIG and when they fail there is the potential to trigger very large avalanches on deeply buried weak layers.Below the surface there are numerous crusts in the upper 100 cm of the snowpack. A layer of sugary facets around a crust can be found near the bottom of the snowpack which has been dormant for some time. Large triggers, such as a falling cornice, or the major warm-up occurring this week could trigger this layer.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.