Avalanche Forecast

Wet avalanche activity was observed Thursday and Friday with strong sunshine and warm temperatures producing small loose avalanches.

Continued widespread wet avalanches and cornice failures are expected as warming persists. We expect avalanches to increase in size as temperatures remain high over the weekend with limited overnight refreeze.

The upper 30-50 cm of the snowpack is wet from warm temperatures and strong sunshine. This wet snow has a poor bond with the dry snow, or thin crust found below.

The mid and lower snowpack is well settled and dense, however buried crusts exist that may make sliding surfaces for avalanche activity as the warming affects deeper into the snowpack.

Check out this Mt Strachan MIN for more details.

Saturday Night

Clear skies. 30 km/h southerly ridgetop wind. Freezing level remains above 3000 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 20 km/h southerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +13 °C with freezing level remaining at 3300 m.

Monday

Sunny. 10-20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +12 °C with freezing level above 3000 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +10 °C with freezing level dropping to 2500 m in the afternoon.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain as temperatures increase.
• Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.