Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 7th, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs, Cornices and Deep Persistent Slabs.
JMackenzie,
Avalanche Canada
The avalanche cycle continues. Avoid avalanche terrain and be mindful of overhead hazard as the potential exists for avalanches to run long distances. Good skiing in sheltered areas.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
Another 10cm is possible through Saturday night before a slight clearing trend Sunday morning. Flurries will move back in on Sunday afternoon. Temperatures should reach about -11 in the Alpine with moderate SW winds. Monday should be mainly sunny.
Avalanche Summary
A natural avalanche cycle is ongoing, but very poor visibility is making it difficult to get a sense of the scale of the cycle. Ski cutting in terrain at lower elevations is producing size 1.0 sluffs that are starting to get enough mass to push a person into a terrain trap such as a tree well or a gully.
Snowpack Summary
25cm of new snow in the past 24 hours. This new snow sluffs easily with ski cutting in steep terrain below treeline. This weeks storm snow is settling slightly but now totals between 60 and 80cm at Treeline elevations. Alpine areas are dominated by widespread wind slabs, and Treeline zones have significant slab conditions in lee and cross-loaded terrain. These slabs have been failing naturally and are very sensitive to human triggering in steep, convex and/or unsupported terrain.
Terrain and Travel
- Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.
- Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
- Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
- Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
- Extra caution is needed around cornices under the current conditions.
- Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to the presence of a deep persistent slab.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs are everywhere in the Alpine and in lee and cross-loaded terrain at Treeline. Human triggering is very likely.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices are large and fragile. If triggered, a cornice failure may trigger a wind slab or a deep persistent slab on the slopes below.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
With the recent loading, this layer may become more active. Triggering is more likely is shallow snowpack areas.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 8th, 2020 4:00PM
