Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Glacier.
New snow will not bond well to previous surfaces of solar crusts and well settled powder from the recent high pressure, expect reactivity in steep start zones.
Glide cracks continue to open up and fail sporadically as large slab avalanches, minimize exposure to these unpredictable features.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Saturday, there were a few naturally triggered loose dry avalanches from the steep terrain in the Eastern highway corridor.
Glide cracks have been on the move recently, giving isolated large avalanches this week from steep south facing terrain. There was a size 3 just West of the park on Friday, and a few size 2.5-3.5 from Mt Tupper earlier in the week.
Snowpack Summary
New snow (5-15cm at time of writing) is covering a solid crusts on solar aspects, and 5-10cm of settled old powder on polar aspects.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong. However, the basal weakness of rounding facets/decomposing crust can be found near the ground in many locations, and will remain worthy of consideration until the end of the season.
Weather Summary
Unstable air in the wake of Saturdays cold front will give ongoing convective flurries into next week.
Tonight: Flurries (5cm). Alpine Low -11°C. Moderate SW ridgetop winds.
Sun: Flurries (5-10cm). High -8°C. Freezing level(FZL) 1200m. Light W wind.
Mon: Flurries (10cm). Low -10°C, High -7°C. FZL 1500m.
Tues: Flurries (10cm), FZL 1300m.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid freshly wind loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.
- Even a small avalanche can be harmful if it pushes you into an obstacle or a terrain trap.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Dry
Expect loose snow avalanches in steep terrain - these could gain sufficient mass to take you for a ride in confined terrain such as gullies.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Storm Slabs
New snow and wind will build fresh thin slabs in open terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5