Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 13th, 2012 10:51AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.
Jlammers,
Avalanche Canada
Summary
Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Thursday
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: light snowfall - moderate to strong southeast winds - freezing level at 600m Thursday: moderate snowfall - moderate and variable winds - freezing level at 900m Friday: light snowfall - moderate southwest winds - freezing level at 600m
Avalanche Summary
Recently loaded wind pockets to size 1 were reportedly ski cut in the region. A size 1.5 cornice failure was also reported.
Snowpack Summary
Continued strong and variable winds have redistributed light amounts of recent storm snow into thin wind slabs that most commonly exist at treeline and in the alpine. In the northern part of the region two persistent weak layers are on the radar of some operators: Surface hoar buried at the beginning of March is as much as 70cm deep. The early February persistent weak layers (surface hoar, facets, crusts) are over a metre down. Although triggering persistent weaknesses has become less likely, persistent slabs would be destructive in nature, particularly below treeline on isolated and sheltered steep terrain where buried surface hoar may be preserved. Cornices in the region are reported to be very large and unstable.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 14th, 2012 9:00AM
