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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 15th, 2022–Apr 16th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Columbia.

Conditions are generally safe, but there are still isolated hazards from cornices and pocket wind slabs. Check out the newest forecaster blog as you plan your spring objectives.

Confidence

High - We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with starry breaks and isolated flurries, trace to 5 cm, light northeast wind, treeline temperatures dropping to -15 C.

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny, light wind from the northeast, freezing level rising to 1500 m, treeline temperatures warm to -3 C.

SUNDAY: Sunny, increasing southwest wind, freezing level rising to 1500m, treeline temperatures warm to 0 C.

MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud and incoming flurries, increasing southeast wind, freezing level rising above 1600 m, treeline temperatures above freezing.

Avalanche Summary

A few large cornice failures (size 2) were reported on Monday and Tuesday, and a skier-triggered size 3 cornice reported Wednesday in Rogers Pass. There were also a few small (size 1) human-triggered wind slab avalanches in alpine terrain (see photos of this remotely-triggered wind slab from Wednesday).

Snowpack Summary

At treeline and above up to 20 cm consolidated and wind-affected snow covers a crust on all aspects to 2200 m and up to mountain tops on solar aspects. Recent northeast wind has formed wind slabs on lee aspects below ridgetops and left a variety of wind affected surfaces. Another prominent crust layer is found 40-80 cm deep. Cornices are very large and exposure to slopes beneath them should be minimized, especially if the weather is sunny, warm, or windy.

Terrain and Travel

  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

Problems

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.