Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 10th, 2015 9:15AM

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

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Forecast new snow in the alpine is expected to continue to develop windslabs.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Cloud developing overnight with freezing levels dropping down to about 1600 metres. Light precipitation (1-3 mm) starting in the early morning combined with moderate to strong southwest winds. Freezing levels rising up to about 2000 metres during the day. Light precipitation overnight and Thursday morning resulting in 5-10 cm of new snow above about 1600 metres. Friday is expected to be very warm with clearing skies as the high pressure ridge re-builds.

Avalanche Summary

One report of a skier triggered windslab size 1.5 on a northeast aspect in the alpine. One report of a large natural icefall size 2.5 that did not release a slab from the slope below

Snowpack Summary

Moist snow on solar aspects up to about 2400 metres and all aspects up to about 1800-2000 metres. The mid-February crust is buried down 10-30 cm and there is a weak layer of facets and/or surface hoar in the sandwich above the crust. The mid pack is well settled with a couple of persistent weak layers that continue to give hard or very hard results in snow profile tests. The late-Jan crust/surface hoar layer (up to 100 cm deep) and the mid-January surface hoar (80-120 cm deep) are generally dormant, and chances of triggering these weaknesses have decreased.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Shifting wind directions continue to re-deposit surface snow into pockets of windslab 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 11th, 2015 2:00PM