Avalanche Forecast

High

Small loose dry avalanches were observed in steep Alpine terrain on Sunday, particularly on solar aspects. Further evidence was observed of the earlier natural slab avalanche cycle up to size 4. Slopes that have not yet avalanched should be treated with extreme caution.

Moist surface snow on solar aspects to ridgetop, and all aspects below 2200m on Sunday, coupled with cold overnight temps, means that we can expect a surface crust on Monday morning of varying thicknesses. Only sheltered north aspects will avoid this condition. At treeline an average of 30cm of recent storm snow overlies the Mar 28 crust. This crust is 10cm thick at valley bottom, and 5cm thick at treeline, which easily carries the weight of a skier. The Jan 30th layer buried 60 to 100cm deep is still a concern. It could become active with intense heating (daytime temps and/or solar input), and it is also problematic on northern aspects at higher elevations and in shallow snowpack areas. Human triggering is possible to likely in these areas. Forecasters continue to have low confidence in the snowpack due to an exceptionally weak base with dense slabs over top.

Temps will drop to around -12C Sunday night, and should provide a good freeze. Monday will be mostly cloudy with light southerly winds. A daytime high of -1C is expected at treeline elevations. No precipitation is expected. freezing levels are expected to climb to 2200m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain; avalanches may run surprisingly far.
• Keep in mind that human triggering may persist as natural avalanches taper off.
• Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
• Avoid shallow snowpack areas, rocky outcrops, and steep terrain where triggering is most likely.