Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 21st, 2024 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada jsmith, Avalanche Canada

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Cooling temperatures are reducing the likelihood of triggering large persistent slab avalanches.

Avoid steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin-to-thick snowpack.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 were reported on sunny aspects at all elevations on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

0 to 5 cm of new snow overlies predominantly crusty surfaces.

A widespread, hard crust down 40 - 110 cm with weak facets above continues to be the primary layer of concern for human triggering of very large persistent slab avalanches.

The bottom of the snowpack is generally weak and faceted, with the potential to produce very large avalanches. The most likely areas to trigger this deeply buried weak layer are steep, rocky areas in the alpine with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Friday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Saturday

Cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C. Freezing level 900 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • Conditions may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

A crust with weak facets above is down 40 to 110 cm. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3.5

Valid until: Mar 22nd, 2024 4:00PM