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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2019–Mar 27th, 2019

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Warm weather and strong sunshine is very likely to set off loose snow avalanches, particularly on southerly aspects.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Flurries with no significant accumulation expected.WEDNESDAY: Dry and sunny. Freezing level around 1600 m. Moderate easterly winds up to 30 km/h.THURSDAY: Dry and sunny. Freezing level around 1600 m. Winds light southeasterly, becoming calm in the afternoon. FRIDAY: Dry and sunny. Freezing level around 1700 m. Winds calm.

Avalanche Summary

A few glide slab avalanches up to size 2.5 have been reported near Terrace since Sunday on southerly slopes. Glide slabs typically happen on steep, smooth terrain features such as rock slabs or grassy slopes with little roughness. They are most common on southerly aspects, but during especially warm weather, may occur on shady aspects as well. Slopes with obvious large cracks (glide cracks) as well as slopes with a known history of glide releases are best avoided.

Snowpack Summary

Dry snow remains on shady slopes in the alpine. In these locations, 50-100 cm of well settled snow overlies a layer of weak facets that were buried around March. 10th. This is currently the primary layer of concern for human triggering persistent slab avalanches, although recent observations suggest it has become difficult to trigger an avalanche on this layer.Not much further below the March 10th interface is a second weak layer of facets buried on February 19th. Recent loose wet and slab avalanches have been observed gouging into this faceted snow and entraining additional mass.The prolonged warm spell has transitioned sun exposed slopes in the alpine and on all aspects at treeline and below towards becoming isothermal (0 C throughout the snowpack). In these areas spring conditions are in effect; the avalanche hazard will fluctuate greatly depending on the strength of the overnight freeze and how quickly the snowpack is warmed up each day. Check out this guide to managing avalanche hazard during spring conditions HERE.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.