Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 24th, 2016–Mar 25th, 2016

Alpine

3: Considerable

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Alpine

3: Considerable

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Alpine

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Glacier.

The new storm slab will be easy to trigger today, especially on solar aspects.

Weather Forecast

The cold front has passed, leaving us in the wake of unsettled, convective flurries for the day. Freezing levels should remain at 1600m or below and winds will be moderate from the west. A drying trend will take us into the weekend, but expect to have the occasional Spring convective flurry on Friday. Freezing levels will hover between 1200-1600m.

Snowpack Summary

15cm of warm, wet snow fell overnight with mod SW winds. This has formed a storm slab in the alpine and at tree-line elevations in lee features, both at ridge-top and on exposed slopes. The storm slab will be more reactive on solar aspects, as it will be sitting on a crust. Multiple crusts in the upper metre may promote step-down avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed in the highway corridor yesterday, nor were there any noted by field crews up Perley Rock and Fidelity. Older debris was noted from several days previous, when temp's first warmed up.

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable

Avalanche Problems

Storm Slabs

The overnight snow has formed a storm slab at ridge-top and cross-loaded lee features. These pockets will likely be easy to "pop" out by the weight of a person.

If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Buried crusts have created persistent instabilities on solar aspects. The crust of most concern is the Feb 27 interface down 70-120cm, which is still producing sudden planar results.

Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 3

Loose Wet

There was little in the way of an overnight freeze below tree-line. Expect the snowpack to feel moist and soft on solar aspects today. Tree bombs could be enough of a trigger to gather up enough mass to bury a person in a terrain traps.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2