Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 4th, 2018 3:40PM

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

shorton, Avalanche Canada

South Coast.

Storm snow is gaining strength, but you should remain wary of solar aspects where the new snow rests on a buried sun crust that may remain sensitive to human triggering.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

MONDAY: Cloudy, light west wind, freezing level rising to around 800 m.TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1000 m.WEDNESDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1400 m.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported.Check out this MCR report (here) that talks about the strong late winter sun initiating natural avalanches to size 2 on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

The region picked up 20 to 40 cm of snow Wednesday and Thursday with moderate winds out of the east/southeast. This adds to the 50 to 70 cm that fell earlier in the week. All of this snow rests on previously wind-affected surfaces and a sun crust on southerly aspects.Cornices have formed on many alpine ridgelines. They will become touchier as they grow in size, as temperatures rise, and as they are subject to the strong late-winter sun on clear days.

Problems

Storm Slabs

20 to 40 cm of recent snowfall arrived with strong wind. This slab is gaining strength and settling out quickly, but you should remain wary of south facing slopes where up to 100 cm of storm snow rests on an untrustworthy buried sun crust.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.Be cautious around steep south-facing slopes.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Cornices

Continued snowfall and strong wind from around the clock has formed large cornices on many ridgelines. Cornices are inherently unstable, unpredictable, and demand respect, especially when the sun is out.

Firm cornices may pull back into flat terrain at ridgetop if they fail.Give cornices a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 5th, 2018 2:00PM