Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 14th, 2013 10:15AM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeSummary
Confidence
Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain for the entire period
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure is expected to develop throughout the forecast period. A mix of sun and cloud and generally light east/northeast winds are expected each day. Daytime freezing levels are meant to climb gradually from about 1000m on Monday to about 1600m on Wednesday.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported. This is more likely a reflection of a lack of observations, rather than actual conditions. In a region to the south with a similar weather pattern, wind slab avalanches to size 2 occurred at upper elevations in response to snowfall and wind on Friday night.
Snowpack Summary
Generally moderate snow accumulations from Friday night have been shifted by southwest, and more recently northeast winds into windslabs which exist at treeline and above.Some professionals are expressing concern for a surface hoar interface buried within the upper metre or so of the snowpack, mainly on high-elevation northerly aspects. It may be slowly gaining some strength, but these slopes should still be treated with suspicion. On other slopes, recent storm snow overlies a crust. This interface may become particularly reactive on solar aspects as sunnier skies prevail over the next few days. Cornices in the region are very large and potentially destructive. Triggering will become more likely with forecast sunny periods.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 15th, 2013 2:00PM