Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 29th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Loose Wet, Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
BF,
Avalanche Canada
The skiing is great!
New snow amounts over the past 24 hours range from 10cm to 30cm depending on the region and convective activity. Generally more new snow has fallen to the South.
With clear skies forecasted for Saturday, the sun could have an impact on the hazard.
The more sun, snow, and wind; the more the hazard will increase.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Friday Lake Louise reported several skier-controlled and explosive size 1 dry loose and storm slab avalanches on the March 20th crust.
East of the Divide, within the last week, there have been several size 2-3 avalanches that have all been remotely or accidentally triggered by skiers. All occurred on northerly aspects in thin sub-alpine snowpack areas with no overlying March 20 crust.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 30cm of storm snow (depending on region and convective activity) covers sun crusts on solar aspects and up to 40 cm of dry snow on shaded slopes. Below this, the March 20th crust exists everywhere except north aspects above 1800m.
Our main concern is shallow snowpack areas on northerly Alpine aspects where there is no March 20 crust. Here the Feb 3 facet / crust layer and the basal facets / depth hoar remain possible to trigger
Deeper snowpack areas have fewer concerns
Weather Summary
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, trace precip, light winds from the NW with a Low of -12°C
Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud, freezing level rising to 1600m, light winds from the West.
Saturday night and Sunday: Wind picking up to moderate from the West, freezing level rising to 1800m. Mix of sun and cloud.
Click here for more weather info.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
- Rocks will heat up with daytime warming and may become trigger points for loose wet avalanches
Problems
Loose Wet
Clear skies are forecasted for Saturday, and as we head into April the sun will come with more "punch". Steep solar aspects and rocky terrain will be particularly reactive.
Recent storm snow could also settle with solar into a cohesive storm slab and become reactive on buried crusts.
Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Wind slab may be present on ridgetop and cross-loaded features.
Dry loose avalanches out of steep terrain and on crusts could also present issues depending on new snow amounts.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
The Feb 3 crust/facet interface is down 80-110 cm. While we have not seen these in deep snowpack areas, there have been several recent skier-triggered slabs in thinner areas east of the divide. All of the recent avalanches that initiate on this layer step down to the basal facets / ground.
Aspects: North, North East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 30th, 2024 4:00PM
