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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 16th, 2022–Apr 17th, 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, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

South Columbia.

Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when travelling on ridge tops. Wet loose avalanches may occur on sunny slopes in the afternoon. 

Observations are limited at this time of year. Let us know what you are seeing by filling out a MIN report!

Confidence

High - The snowpack structure is generally well understood.

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partially cloudy. Alpine temperature drops to -5 °C. 10-25 km/h wind from the northwest.

SUNDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks. Alpine temperature rising to 0 °C. Light northwest wind.

MONDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Alpine temperature rising to 1 °C. 20-50 km/h wind from the southeast.

TUESDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, 10-15 cm of accumulation. Alpine temperature rising to 0 °C. 10-45 km/h wind from the southeast.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity in the last week has consisted of large cornice failures on north and east-facing slopes. For the most part, these have not triggered avalanches on the slopes below. 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.
  • 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.