Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 14th, 2016 9:23AM

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

esharp, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Old wind slabs may still be reactive to human triggering.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number and quality of field observations

Weather Forecast

Spring like daily fluctuation in temperature. TUESDAY: isolated flurries, light southwest winds, 1200m freezing level. WEDNESDAY: partly cloudy with flurries, light west winds, 1000m freezing level. THURSDAY: mainly sunny, light southeasterly winds, 1000m freezing level.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity has slowed since the weekend however cornices continue to collapse naturally.Â Occasionally these collapsing cornices have triggered slabs on the slopes below.

Snowpack Summary

New snow is falling on widely wind effected surfaces in the alpine and at treeline. Moist snow can be found at lower elevations and on slopes that see direct sunlight.Â In the north of the region a crust and/or surface hoar from early in March or late February can be found in the upper meter of the snowpack.Â A deeper layer of surface hoar from early January can be found in isolated locations across the region between 60 and 140 cm down. There hasn't been any avalanche activity reported on this layer for a couple of weeks now and it is becoming less of a concern. In shallower areas the snowpack sits on a weak base layer of facetted snow. This layer has been sporadically active in the north of the region, responsible for several large avalanches in unsupported alpine terrain. Cornices are large and fragile.

Problems

Wind Slabs

New snow will hide lingering wind slabs that may still be reactive to human triggering.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Deep Persistent Slabs

Isolated large avalanches failing on weak layers buried deeply in the snowpack remain a possibility especially given a heavy trigger like a falling cornice.

Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

3 - 6

Valid until: Mar 15th, 2016 2:00PM