Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 3rd, 2012 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.

pmarshall, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Due to limited field observations

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Light snowfall with periods of sun mixed in - 5-10cm. The freezing level should rise to around 1000m during the day. Winds are moderate from the south, shifting to light from the north. Thursday and Friday: A ridge of high pressure builds in bringing mainly sunny skies and light winds. The freezing level should bounce from near valley bottom overnight to 700-1000m during the day.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported but there are few observers in the field. It's likely that thin wind slabs are the primary issue up high, with solar related activity on sunny slopes during the day.

Snowpack Summary

Light amounts of new snow overlie a variety of old surfaces. These surfaces include crusts (found on all aspects below 1000m and on solar aspects higher up), and old wind slabs. Below this the snowpack is mostly well settled and strong; however, the mid-February surface hoar (buried 80-120cm deep) may still react to large triggers in isolated terrain. Cornices in the area are reported to be very large and potentially unstable.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Forecast winds and new snow may form fresh wind slabs in exposed terrain. Watch for triggering in gullies, behind ridge crests and over rolls in terrain.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Cornices

Large cornices exist in alpine terrain. A failure could be destructive by itself, and could also trigger an avalanche on the slope below. Use extra caution if the sun shines through.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 5

Valid until: Apr 4th, 2012 9:00AM