Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 1st, 2023 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Loose Dry and Storm Slabs.

Avalanche Canada JH, Avalanche Canada

Email

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.

Summary

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.

Problems

Loose Dry

An icon showing 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

An icon showing 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

Valid until: Apr 2nd, 2023 4:00PM