Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 15th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Loose Wet.
ejones,
Avalanche Canada
Avoid all avalanche terrain.
Unseasonable warm weather will likely result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Widespread natural avalanche activity continued across the region on Thursday. Several very large persistent slabs and wet avalanches (loose and slabs) were reported at all elevations.
We expect widespread, large, natural avalanches to continue with forecasted warm temperatures.
Snowpack Summary
Thursday, the region received 15 to 20 cm of wet snow (or rain at lower elevations). This warm snow was redistributed by southerly winds at upper elevations. This overlies the settled 40 to 80 cm of storm snow.
Several persistent weak layers are buried between 90 and 180 cm deep, including hard crusts with overlying weak facets and surface hoar. These weak layers have been responsible for continued avalanche activity over the last week.
At lower elevations, the upper snowpack is wet.
Weather Summary
Friday Night
A few clouds. 15 to 20 km/h west ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures around 0 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
Saturday
Mainly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures around +6 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures around +5 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Monday
Cloudy. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures around +5 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
For more details, see the Mountain Weather Forecast.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain as temperatures increase.
- Persistent slabs have potential to pull back to lower angle terrain.
- Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.
- Very large and destructive avalanches could reach valley bottom.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
The likelihood of persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather. A widespread avalanche cycle is expected on slopes that did not avalanche yet.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Intense warming will likely trigger numerous wet loose and wet slab avalanches. These may step down to deeper weak layers resulting in larger-than-expected avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 16th, 2024 4:00PM
