Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 26th, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Deep Persistent Slabs, Loose Wet and Wet Slabs.
Dvonk,
Avalanche Canada
We are entering the first massive warm up of the season. Freezing levels are to continually rise to 3000m by Friday and even higher throughout the weekend. Use extreme caution if considering heading in to avalanche terrain, A large avalanche cycle is expected throughout this warming and will likely run to the end of avalanche runouts. Avalanche canada will be issuing an SPAW (Special Public Avalanche Warning) On Thursday. Check out avalanche canada for updates.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed today.
With the incoming warm temps and rapidly rising freezing levels, An avalanche cycle is expected to happen when the freezing levels rise to well over 3000m and the snowpack does not recover overnight from cold temps. These have the potential to reach the end of the run out zones and be very destructive. The deep persistent slab problem will most likely wake up through this warming event.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is finally starting to adjust to the warm temps and the transition to a spring snowpack is starting. Surface snow conditions are frozen in the morning and becoming moist by noon. Sheltered areas and polar aspects will provide the best skiing with little wind effect. Be aware of sluffing on solar aspects if the sun comes out. Forecasters continue to track persistent weaknesses down anywhere from 40 to 100cm on polar aspects. These weaknesses are highly variable in nature and travelers should take the time to dig down and evaluate the snowpack frequently. Also, the lingering deep persistent slab problem is still alive and well.
Weather Summary
Thursday will be a mix of sun and cloud and day time highs around zero. This is the first day of a constant warming over the next 5 days. where freezing levels are expected to rise over 3000m (Mountain top) by Friday. Winds will be light overall.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.
- If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
This problem is expected to wake up with the rapidly warm temperatures and rising freezing levels to well over 3000m.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
All aspects and elevations with rapid warming and zero recovery.
Becoming more reactive by the weekend as temperatures reach their max values.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wet Slabs
As the snowpack becomes isothermic from a lack of recovery overnight, the potential for wet slabs increases.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 29th, 2023 4:00PM
