Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 27th, 2013 11:05AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Loose Wet and Cornices.

mpeter, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

Avalanche danger will rise with daytime warming. Stay aware of changing conditions throughout the day.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Thursday: There is a slight chance of thin cloud developing with isolated flurries. Winds should be calm with alpine temperatures reaching 2.Friday & Saturday: Expect mostly clear skies, light southerly winds and alpine temperatures reaching 5 in the afternoons.

Avalanche Summary

Loose wet sluffs up to size 2.0 have been reported on south and west aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Recent warm temperatures have created melt freeze crusts up to 2000m on all aspects and well into the alpine on south and west facing terrain. These crusts break down with daytime warming and the surface snow can lose cohesion as a result. The odd lingering windslab remains reactive on high, north facing slopes. Cornices are huge!Various melt-freeze crusts are buried in the upper snowpack. In general, the bond at these interfaces is good. A layer of surface hoar (buried on March 11; now down about 90 cm) is still being observed in some locations, with hard results in snowpack tests. Mid and lower snowpack layers are well bonded.

Problems

Loose Wet

Direct sun may trigger loose snow avalanches on steep sunny slopes.

Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Cornices

Cornices are large and weak. Daytime warming and/or direct sunshine could cause cornices to fail, possibly triggering a slab on the slope below.

Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 6

Valid until: Mar 28th, 2013 2:00PM