Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 15th, 2018 4:58PM

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

cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

South Coast.

Lingering wind slabs remain a concern in the alpine. Exercise increasing caution around solar aspects and lower elevations as loose wet avalanche conditions develop over the day.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Friday: Mainly sunny. Light north winds. Freezing level to 1500 metres with alpine high temperatures around -1 to 0.Saturday: Mainly sunny with increasing cloud in the afternoon and light flurries overnight. Light north winds. Freezing level to 1500 metres with alpine high temperatures around 0 to -1.Sunday: Cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light northwest winds. Freezing level to 1300 metres with alpine high temperatures of -2.

Avalanche Summary

No recent notable avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

A mid-week storm brought up to 15 cm of new snow to the alpine while rain saturated the upper snowpack at treeline and below. Surface conditions on solar aspects and below about 1500 metres have seen daily change through melt-freeze cycles. In the limited alpine terrain where the recent precipitation fell as snow, lingering wind slabs will remain a concern over the near term.Below any recent snow accumulations, the overall snowpack is well settled and strong. New cornices formed and old ones grew more overhanging with the snowfall at the end of last week. Cornices become more unstable during the day as the temperature rises.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Lingering wind slabs will remain a concern in the alpine over the near term. Observations have been limited, so gather info about the depth and reactivity of new snow as you ascend. South aspects become a concern as warming destabilizes surface snow.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.Be careful around wind loaded pockets near ridge crests and roll-overs.Expect loose wet avalanche conditions to develop over the day on south aspects.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Mar 16th, 2018 2:00PM