Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 8th, 2015 8:21AM

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

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Variable wind direction continues to develop pockets of new windslab in the alpine.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Mix of sun and cloud overnight with freezing levels dropping down to valley bottoms. Mix of sun and cloud with moderate – strong southwest winds and freezing levels rising up to 2100 metres on Monday. Mix of sun and cloud on Tuesday with light winds and freezing levels around 2100 metres. Cloudy with snow on Wednesday.

Avalanche Summary

A Windslab has been reported size 2.0 that was about 20 cm deep and ran 300 metres. Explosives control released a couple of 50 cm deep pockets in the alpine size 2.5

Snowpack Summary

Roughly 5-10 cm of recent storm snow adds to the variable amounts of dry facetted snow on top of the mid-February crust with associated buried surface hoar in sheltered areas, or, more recent melt-freeze crusts on sun-exposed slopes. The late-Jan crust/surface hoar layer can be found about a metre below the surface in deeper snowpack areas. The mid-January surface hoar, can be found below that. These layers have gained significant strength, and chances of triggering these weaknesses have decreased dramatically. However, triggering may be possible with a large input such as cornice fall, or an avalanche stepping down, especially on slopes that see a lot of sun.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Changing wind directions continue to develop new windslabs in the alpine.
Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.>Stay well to the windward side of corniced ridges.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 9th, 2015 2:00PM