Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 10th, 2015 9:06AM

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 light 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 1200 metres. Light precipitation starting in the early morning combined with moderate to strong southwest winds. Freezing levels rising up to about 2100 metres during the day. Light precipitation overnight and Thursday morning resulting in 3-5 cm of new snow above about 1700 metres. Friday is expected to be very warm with clearing skies as the high pressure ridge re-builds.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

Snowpack Summary

Roughly 5-10 cm of recent snow adds to the variable amounts of dry facetted snow on top of the mid-February crust with associated buried surface hoar in sheltered areas, or, more recent melt-freeze crusts on sun-exposed slopes. The late-Jan crust/surface hoar layer can be found about a metre below the surface in deeper snowpack areas. The mid-January surface hoar, can be found below that. These layers have gained significant strength, and chances of triggering these weaknesses have decreased dramatically. 

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Changing wind directions continue to develop new windslabs in the alpine.
Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 11th, 2015 2:00PM