Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 19th, 2021 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
JSmith,
Avalanche Canada
Modest amounts of new snow and shifting winds may form wind slabs on a variety of aspects below alpine ridgetops. The snowpack is highly variable throughout this region and persistent weak layers may be reactive in isolated areas.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with flurries; 3-5 cm. / Strong, southwest ridgetop wind / alpine low temperature -9 / Freezing level valley bottom.
SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries; 3-5 cm. / Strong, northwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature -5 / Freezing level 700 m.
SUNDAY: Flurries; 5-10 cm. / Strong, southwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature -4 / Freezing level 1200 m.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Moderate, west ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature -2 / Freezing level 1300 m.
Avalanche Summary
On Thursday our field team reported several cornice failures, a couple of which triggered small slab avalanches on the slopes below. MIN report HERE.
Our field team found some large and disturbingly wide avalanches in the Hasler last week, with lots of compelling images in their MIN report here. It's suspected that these are running on facets that are about 80 cm below the surface.
Snowpack Summary
Modest amounts of snow over the weekend and strong southwesterly winds will likely form small wind slabs on lee features below alpine ridgetops.
Sun crust exists on solar aspects to mountain tops and a temperature crust on all aspects up to 1500 m. Large cornices are present throughout the region and are capable of triggering large avalanches when they fail. Cornice failures are most common during windy or warm weather.
A weak layer of facets buried mid-February is down 100-120 cm. in many areas and was reactive a little over a week ago. (See avalanche summary for report) Slightly deeper there may be a persistent weak layer of surface hoar in isolated areas at treeline, though this layer has recently been unreactive. These layers are both significantly shallower in the east of the region.
Steep, rocky slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack in the alpine are the most likely places to trigger these persistent weak layers. Large loads such a cornice falls or multiple sleds on the same slope often trigger slopes that single rider couldn't trigger.
Terrain and Travel
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
- Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to the presence of a persistent slab.
- Avoid areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
- Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Modest amounts of new snow and shifting winds may form wind slabs on a variety of aspects below alpine ridgetops.
Large cornices are present throughout the region and are capable of triggering large avalanches when they fail. Cornice failures are most common during windy or warm weather.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
The persistent slab problem appears to have been put to rest in deep snowpack areas in the west of the region, but on the eastern slopes (e.g. Kakwa/Tumbler Ridge) there were large natural avalanches last week.
Steep, rocky slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack in the alpine are the most likely places to trigger these persistent weak layers. Large loads such a cornice falls or multiple sleds on the same slope often trigger slopes that single rider couldn't trigger.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 21st, 2021 4:00PM
