Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 21st, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Loose Wet.
cgarritty,
Avalanche Canada
Keep your risk tolerance to a minimum while public health resources are strained. Be sure to post your observations to the Mountain Information Network if you are heading out!
Summary
Confidence
High -
Weather Forecast
Saturday night: Clear. Light to moderate north winds. Freezing level remaining near 1500 metres.
Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light southwest winds increasing over the day and overnight. Alpine high temperatures around -5.
Monday: Cloudy with light flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow, easing overnight. Light to moderate southwest winds easing over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -5.
Tuesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -8.
Avalanche Summary
Recent avalanche activity has primarily been small wet loose avalanches in steep south-facing terrain (size 1-1.5).Â
Persistent slab avalanche activity has quieted down over the past two weeks, with only a few small to large (size 1-2) avalanches releasing on the late February surface hoar layer. These were most often triggered between 1700 m and 2100 m on northwest to east aspects.
Looking forward, periods of sun and daytime warming may continue to promote wet loose avalanche activity during the day.Â
If you decide to travel in the backcountry, consider sharing your observations with us and fellow recreationists via the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Snowpack Summary
Surface conditions are a variable mix of crust and hard old wind slabs, with the surface becoming moist on sun-exposed slopes and at lower elevations each day. Small surface hoar has been growing on the surface each night, likely remaining intact on shaded aspects during the day.
Persistent weak layers may be found in the upper snowpack, but have been trending towards dormancy. The most prominent and widespread layer was buried in late February and is now 40 to 80 cm deep. This layer is most commonly found in open trees and has produced a few isolated avalanches over the past few weeks.
Terrain and Travel
- Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
- Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
- Minimize your exposure time below cornices.
Problems
Loose Wet
Periods of sun and daytime warming may cause wet loose avalanches on steep sun-exposed slopes.
Aspects: South East, South, South West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 22nd, 2020 5:00PM
