Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 28th, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
rgoddard,
Avalanche Canada
Shifting winds may have produced wind slabs on a variety of aspects at higher elevations.
The best snow will be found in sheltered areas.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Observations from this past weekend, report of natural and ridder-triggered storm slab and wind slab avalanches up to size 2.
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Snowpack Summary
Wind slabs and low-density snow covers a crust from mid-February. In most areas, the crust is resistant to bonding to what is above it. In sheltered areas, the crust may be covered with up to 60 cm of low-density snow or 100 cm of wind slab. Where the wind has scoured the crust it may be on the surface. This crust is widespread and is expected to exist all the way to mountaintops.
The lower snowpack contains a number of crusts but they are not a factor at the moment. It is consolidated and well-settled.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Clear, no accumulation, winds northwest 20 km/h, treeline temperatures -7 ºC.
Wednesday
Increasing clouds, trace accumulation, winds west 25 km/h, treeline temperatures hovering around -5 ºC.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy, up to 15 to 25 cm in northern areas, winds west 30 km/h and gusting to 60, treeline temperatures -2 to -8 ºC.
Friday
Cloudy, up to 20 cm focused in the north, winds west 20 km/h gusting to 50, treeline temperatures -7 ºC.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind continues to redistribute any available snow. As it changes direction from the south to the west expect to find wind slabs on a variety of aspects.Recent snow and new wind slabs may be sitting on a crust making bonding difficult.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 1st, 2023 4:00PM
