Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 7th, 2022 3:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
JMackenzie,
Avalanche Canada
Watch for pockets of wind slab on all aspects in the Alpine. Buried sun crusts on solar aspects may be reactive in steeper terrain at treeline and above.
Summary
Confidence
High -
Weather Forecast
Tuesday will be cool with temps between -20 and -14 under a mix of sun and cloud. Later in the afternoon some very light flurries could roll in. Winds should be light from the north.
Wednesday should be mostly sunny and unseasonably cold (-25 in the morning!).
Avalanche Summary
Isolated loose dry avalanches up to size 1.0 observed today, adds to the more widespread cycle observed over the weekend. No recent slab activity has been noted.
Snowpack Summary
Convective flurries on Monday afternoon dropped 5cm of snow in a short period of time. These convective flurries will bring highly variable snow amounts to the different valleys. At upper elevations the winds have just started to form a wind skin on the surface, and this could be more developed into wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded features that are wind prone. Forecasters are watching the Feb 19 interface down 40 to 60cm. This layer was a hard wind slab or sun crust on solar aspects, and may be a good sliding layer where enough snow density sits above. Conditions are highly variable depending on aspect and elevation, so take the time to dig into the snowpack and evaluate the bond with the Feb 19 interface.
Terrain and Travel
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and wind exposure.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
- Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Problems
Wind Slabs
The winds picked up on Monday and there are now pockets of wind slab in Alpine areas.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Carefully evaluate the bond of the new snow to the underlying crust. Steep solar aspects and unsupported terrain should be carefully considered or avoided. Intense solar input will make this problem much more reactive.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 8th, 2022 3:00PM
