Avalanche forecast

Lizard-Flathead

Mar 16 – 17, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle on Sunday.

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Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3.5

    Cornices are large, looming and will likely trigger very large persistent slab avalanches when they fail.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–4

    A crust with weak facets overtop is down 80 to 150 cm. Very large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Sunday.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Numerous naturally triggered wet loose and persistent slab avalanches up to size 3(very large) were reported on all aspects at treeline and above on Friday.

Very large, natural avalanches are expected to continue to occur on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.

Cornices are currently large and looming, and will become more unstable during periods of warming. See photo below.

80-150 cm below the snow surface, a widespread crust with weak facets overtop remains a concern for human triggering.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Clear skies. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2600 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 3500 m.

Monday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Regions covered