Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Chic-Chocs, Littoral, Murdochville.
Moderate winds and new precipitation promote the formation of wind slabs in the alpine, at treeline, and on cross loaded features.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
An avalanche of unknown size was triggered on April 2 on an eastern aspect of the Hog's back.
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Snowpack Summary
In general, at all elevations, precipitation and winds over the past week have resulted in 20-50 cm of snow covering the March 26 melt freeze crust. Sunshine has affected the surface of the slopes on the solar aspects, but cold temperatures have kept the snow lighter on the northern aspects.
In the alpine and treeline, strong winds have redistributed these accumulations, forming an interface of soft and hard slabs that are upside down in some places.
The middle of the snowpack is well consolidated, and of increasing density, interspersed with several melt freeze crusts from the last few weeks.
Weather Summary
Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.
Synopsis: A system moving in from the Great Lakes will bring light precipitation and rising freezing levels.
Monday night and overnight: Cloudy. 2 to 4 cm of snow. Southerly winds from 20 to 30 km/h. Min -5C. Freezing level at 250m.
Tuesday: Cloudy. 2 to 3 cm of snow. Winds from 25 to 30 km/h from the west. Max. -6C. Freezing level at 600m.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny. No precipitation. Winds from 15 to 20 km/h from the west. Max. -12C.
Thursday: Cloudy. Mix of rain/snow/freezing rain. Winds from 30 to 40 km/h from the south. Temperature inversion, -6C at valley bottom and +5C on the summits.
For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
- Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
- Caution around convexities or sharp changes in terrain.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
On the NE-E-SE aspects, a wind slab interface is, in places, upside-down, meaning that their reactivity could persist for a few more days.
Moderate winds shifting to the south and then turning to the west could create new wind slabs on the slopes of the northern aspects.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2