Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 7th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
ldreier,
Avalanche Canada
Southerly wind formed wind slabs in lee terrain features in the alpine and at treeline. These wind slabs might be reactive to human triggers.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Thursday night: Mix of clouds and clear sky, up to 2 cm snow, moderate south wind, alpine low -6 °C, freezing level at valley bottom.
Friday: Mix of sun and cloud, trace of new snow, light west wind, alpine high -3 °C, freezing level at valley bottom.
Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud, trace of new snow, light northerly wind, alpine high -5 °C, freezing level at valley bottom.Â
Sunday: Sunny, trace of new snow, moderate to strong northeast wind, alpine high -4 °C, freezing level at valley botttom.
Avalanche Summary
A few wet loose avalanches were observed starting at sun-exposed rocks in the afternoon on Wednesday.
No new avalanches were reported on Tuesday.
Many small natural wind slabs and dry loose avalanches up to size 1.5 occurred on Monday. A couple naturally triggered size 2 wet slab avalanches were observed on steep, solar aspects.Â
Snowpack Summary
30 cm of recent snow sit on a hard surface of either wind-pressed old snow or sun crusts on solar aspects. Recent snow amounts taper with lower elevations. The surface snow is wind affected in many places and has a sun crust on sun-exposed slopes up into lower alpine elevations.Â
A strong mid-pack sits on top of weak facets near the ground.
Cornices are very large and exposure to them should be minimized, especially during warm or windy weather.
Terrain and Travel
- Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
- Minimize your exposure time below cornices.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Moderate to strong southerly winds formed fresh wind slabs on lee terrain features and scoured the recent snow on the leeward side of ridges. Wind slabs may be reactive to human triggers.
Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind-loaded snow.
If the sun comes out, the likelihood of naturally triggered wet loose avalanches will increase rapidly.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 8th, 2022 4:00PM
