Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 17th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs, Deep Persistent Slabs and Loose Wet.
jsmith,
Avalanche Canada
⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will likely continue to produce very large naturally triggered avalanches.
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Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
Numerous naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 and persistent slab avalanches up to size 3.5 (very large) were reported on all aspects and elevations on Saturday.
Very large, natural avalanches are expected to continue to occur on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.
A widespread, hard crust down 40 - 110 cm with weak facets above continues to be the primary layer of concern for natural and human triggering of very large persistent slab avalanches.
Cornices have become large and looming, and are more likely to fail during periods of warming.
The bottom of the snowpack is generally weak and faceted, with the potential to produce very large avalanches. The most likely areas to trigger this deeply buried weak layer are steep, rocky areas in the alpine with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2900 m.
Monday
Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level 2900 m.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2300 m.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
- Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
- Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches to run full path or even longer.
- The likelihood of deep persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather.
- Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
A crust with weak facets overtop is down 40 to 110 cm. Very large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Monday.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
A widespread weak layer exists at the bottom of the snowpack. Large triggers, such as falling cornices or smaller avalanches in motion may have the potential to trigger this deeply buried weak layer.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 18th, 2024 4:00PM
