Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 7th, 2015 7:20AM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

jlammers, Avalanche Canada

South Coast.

Watch out for daytime warming. Warmer temperatures and solar radiation may increase the likelihood of avalanche activity.

Summary

Confidence

Good - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

Expect mainly sunny skies for the forecast period. Freezing levels will peak at about 2700m on Sunday, and then drop to about 2000m for Monday and Tuesday. Winds should remain light to moderate from the west.

Avalanche Summary

On Friday a skier remotely triggered a size 1 (15cm deep) wind slab in the alpine. Otherwise there has been little recent avalanche activity. Forecast warming may increase the likelihood of cornice failures and loose wet avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

North and west winds have created isolated wind slabs 5 to 10 cm thick on high elevation lee slopes. On other slopes you may find stubborn old wind slabs and surface facets. Melt-freeze conditions can be found on all solar aspects and at lower elevations. The snowpack is generally strong and well settled. However, large cornices may become weak with daytime warming.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Small wind slabs may remain sensitive to light loads in high elevation lee terrain. Due to the irregular wind pattern, wind slabs may be found in unsuspecting locations.

Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.>Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1

Valid until: Mar 8th, 2015 3:00PM