Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 13th, 2013 8:04AM

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

ali haeri, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Unsettled conditions will prevail today in the wake of last nights storm. Mainly overcast skies, light precipitation and cool temperatures are forecast, this pattern will continue into Monday when an upper ridge begins to push onto the BC coast bringing drier conditions.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of new snow overlies 30cm from the previous storm. April 10 crust is 12cm thick and down 40-50cm. Profile on a north aspect, 1905m, 38 degrees, showed easy to moderate test results down 9 and 15 in the recent storm snow.

Avalanche Summary

One natural slab avalanche, size 2.0, N aspect, 2100m.

Confidence

on Saturday

Problems

Storm Slabs

An additional 10cm of new snow on top of the previous 35cm. This 45cm storm slab sits on a thick crust that could provide a good bed surface for an avalanche where the slab has not yet had a chance to bond to it.

Expect heavy trailbreaking until the storm snow settles out.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Loose Dry

Expect sluffing in steep terrain today and watch for terrain traps where a small avalanche can result in big consequences.

Sluffs may trigger deeper instabilities.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Weak shallow areas are most sensitive. The character is stubborn to trigger, but seems to result in wide propagations (big avalanches), and is susceptible to remote triggering.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Apr 14th, 2013 8:00AM