Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 5th, 2015 9:22AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is below threshold. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

bcorrigan, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

The hazard may go higher in select terrain due to daytime heating. Cornice features are definitely something to be concerned with!

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

A trace of precipitation this evening, then clearing skies and sun for the remainder of the forecast period. Freezing levels are expected to rise to 1500 m for the early part of next week, then climbing to 2000 by Wednesday.. Moderate southerly alpine winds expected tonight, then light winds predominantly from the East..

Avalanche Summary

Reports of small size 1 natural avalanches in steep terrain early in the day, then small wet avalanches from solar heating on southern aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50cm of recent storm snow is sitting on a crust from earlier in the week. Reports suggest this 5 cm thick solid rain crust exists up to at least 2200m. Recent southwest winds have shifted new accumulations into touchy wind slabs in lee terrain. A facet/crust persistent weakness buried mid-March is down approximately 70-130 cm and is still producing hard but sudden results in snowpack tests. This remains a serious in the region due to it's potential to produce very large avalanches. Cornices are now large and a cornice fall might trigger a large destructive avalanche. Solar aspects are now becoming active with daytime warming.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Recent storms accompanied by winds have redeposited the storm snow into soft slabs on lee features

Be alert to conditions that change with elevation.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

This slab is sitting on a combination of crusts, facets and surface hoar. If triggered it could produce a very large destructive avalanche

The new snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.>Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches due to the presence of a buried crust/facet layer.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Apr 6th, 2015 2:00PM