Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Mar 18 – 19, 2019Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

This is a good time to avoid avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1.5–3
    Old weaknesses may reactivate under sustained sunshine and warming. There are numerous reports of large slab avalanches in neighbouring areas, some of them remotely triggered (see Northwest Coastal). Expect similar potential in the Northwest Inland.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Sunshine and warming will destabilize surface snow - especially on steep, sunny slopes. This problem is likely to expand to include shaded aspects under sustained warming. Large loose wet avalanches may impact lower elevations.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Monday night: Clear. Light to moderate south winds. Freezing levels remaining near 3200 metres.Tuesday: Sunny with a chance of valley cloud. Light south winds. Aline high temperatures around +5 with freezing levels of 3000 metres, remaining steady overnight.Wednesday: Mainly sunny with a chance of valley cloud. Light east or southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around +5 with freezing levels around 2800 metres, lowering a bit overnight.Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with cloud increasing over the day. Light south winds. Alpine high temperatures around +3 with freezing levels around 2300 metres, lowering a bit overnight.

Avalanche Summary

There are few observers in the field this week but reports showed a natural avalanche cycle of storm and wind slabs up to size 2 early in the week and loose wet avalanches with afternoon warming.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50 cm of snow arrived in the past week. This recent snow rests on previously wind affected surfaces, sun crusts (on solar aspects) and weak, sugary facets. The prolonged period of cold temperatures in February has had an overall effect of weakening the upper and mid-snowpack, as well as the basal snowpack in thinner areas.Sunshine and warm temperatures will weaken the upper snowpack; the difficult question is how quickly this will affect deeper layers. One answer is the thinner the snowpack depth, the quicker it will happen.

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