Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 30th, 2018 3:49PM

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

Avalanche Canada simonhorton, Avalanche Canada

Human triggered avalanches are likely this weekend, especially on slopes getting hit by the sun.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny with light west wind, freezing level up to 700 m, and alpine high temperatures near -10 C.SUNDAY: Cloudy with light flurries (4-8 cm of snow), light wind, freezing level up to 800 m, and alpine high temperatures near -8 C.MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with light wind, freezing level up to 600 m, and alpine high temperatures near -10 C.

Avalanche Summary

Heavy snowfall resulted in a widespread natural avalanche cycle on Tuesday and Wednesday. Storm slabs in the size 2-3 range were reported on all aspects between 1700 and 2500 m. Southerly aspects were the most reactive with numerous large and very large (size 2.5-3.5) avalanches running on a recently buried sun crust. Avalanche activity continued following the storm, with a few size 2 natural storm slab avalanches reported on north and east aspects on Thursday. A cornice fall triggered a large slab avalanche with a 100 cm crown on a north aspect at 2600 m. A skier also remotely triggered a size 1 wind slab on a southeast aspect at 1900 m.While the natural cycle is tapering off, human triggered avalanches remain likely at treeline and above where the touchy late-March crust/surface hoar layer exists.

Snowpack Summary

Another 10-20 cm of snow on Friday brings the weekly total to 60-100 cm. Storm snow was accompanied with moderate to strong winds from the southwest.The storm snow sits on an interface buried in late-March that consist of crusts at low elevations and on south aspects, and surface hoar on shaded aspects at higher elevations.Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators, but are generally considered dormant.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
60-100 cm thick storm slabs are widespread and will be extra touchy on south aspects where they sit above buried sun crusts.
Avoid freshly wind loaded leeward and cross-loaded slopesMinimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 31st, 2018 2:00PM