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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 30th, 2014–Mar 31st, 2014

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Inland.

Confidence

Poor - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Synopsis: A ridge of high pressure over the NWT continues to advance south. Looks like continued cool and dry conditions for the NW for the forecast period. The models show an organized system that approaches the north coast Wednesday/Thursday, check back tomorrow for more details. Monday: Freezing Level: 800 - 1300m; Precipitation: Nil; Wind: Treeline: Light, NW | Ridgetop: Light, NWTuesday: Freezing Level: 600 - 1300m Precipitation: Nil; Wind: Treeline: Light, SW | Ridgetop: Moderate, WWednesday: Freezing Level: 400m - 1300m; Precipitation: Trace; Wind: Treeline: Light, S | Ridgetop: Moderate, SW

Avalanche Summary

No new activity to report from Saturday.On Friday a skier remote triggered a size 1 wind slab on a southwest facing feature at 1500m. Loose snow avalanches to size 2 were running in the recent storm snow on both SW and NE facing slopes Thursday. One fresh wind slab on a NE facing feature at 1700m was also reported. We received a report of a skier triggered avalanche in the Kispiox range that occurred on Wednesday. The size 2 avalanche caught and carried a skier on an alpine feature, thankfully the skier walked away from the incident. Sounds like it ran on the March crust/facet/surface hoar interface.

Snowpack Summary

The recent storm snow (40-50 cm) has been transported into pockets of wind slab by moderate Southwest winds in the South of the region and by Easterly winds in the North of the region. The storm slab is sitting on the March persistent weak layer of crusts/facets/surface hoar that is widespread across the region. A late January/early February crust/facet/surface hoar combo is still showing up in snowpack tests with moderate to hard shear test results. This layer is expected to be with us for a long time, and a slide triggered on this layer could be very large and destructive.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.