Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 13th, 2014 9:27AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Loose Wet and Deep Persistent Slabs.

slemieux, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Avalanche danger can rise very quickly with warming and solar radiation. Be aware of changing conditions and overhead hazards. Terrain choices and timing can be critical.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Tonight and Monday: The ridge of high pressure bringing clear and warm conditions remains over the province. Clouds will start building as a low pressure system approaches during the day. Expect freezing levels to be near 2500 m and light North West winds. Tuesday: A trace of precipitation is forecasted with light North West winds, freezing levels going from 1200 m at night and rising to 1500 m during the day.Â Wednesday: Mainly cloudy, a possibility of light precipitation, freezing levels around 1700 m.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

Snowpack Summary

Melt-freeze cycles has created a hard crust at the surface in most places. During the day, this crust is broken down by warm temperatures and solar radiation on all aspects up to around 2200 m and above this elevation on solar aspects. Snow stability will decrease quite rapidly as the day progresses tomorrow, increasing the chance of cornice fall and wet loose avalanches. The late January/early February persistent weak layer is deeply buried, and has not produced avalanches in this region for some time now. However, tomorrow's intense warming and solar radiation could wake up the deep weak layer in isolated areas, like on higher alpine slopes that have not gone through such a heat shock. I suspect this would be more the case in the Northern part of the region.

Problems

Loose Wet

Periods of intense solar radiation or pronounced warming will likely result in some loose wet activity, especially on steep south facing slopes.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. >

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Areas and features that have not seen such a heat shock could be prone to deep slab avalanches tomorrow with the forecasted intense warming and solar radiation.

Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches due to the presence of buried persistent weak layer.>Minimize exposure to sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Apr 14th, 2014 2:00PM