Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 2nd, 2013 9:46AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada pgoddard, Avalanche Canada

Watch out for slopes being warmed by direct sun. This may locally raise the avalanche danger.

Summary

Confidence

Fair

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Clearing up. No snow. Light winds. Freezing level around 900 m.Monday: No snow. Sunny breaks. Light winds. Freezing level around 1200 m.Tuesday: Light snow. Light S winds. Freezing level around 11000 m.

Avalanche Summary

A widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 3.5 occurred on Friday. This included slabs with a suspected failure plane of buried surface hoar/crust layers, and loose wet avalanches which entrained mass as they traveled.Skiers triggered numerous slabs to size 2 earlier in the week, failing on buried surface hoar/crusts which exist at all elevations and on all aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Low density snow had high density snow or rain (snow at alpine elevations around the Duffey; and rain to ridge top around the Coquihalla) piled on top of it at rapid loading rates during the recent storm. Strong southerly winds are likely to have created wind slabs in alpine terrain. Below treeline, rain-soaked snow was very weak during the storm, but should stabilize with cooling temperatures. Surface hoar and/or crust layers in the upper snowpack have been reactive over the last week, creating very touchy conditions. The intense storm and associated avalanche cycle may have gone a long way to ‘clean out’ these weaknesses, but I wouldn’t be too quick to assume anything until we have a lot more information from the field. Direct sunshine may trigger some further shedding of storm snow on Sunday/Monday. The lower snowpack is well settled.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
Storm snow will take some time to stabilize. Sunshine could weaken new snow and cause some more avalanche activity.
Stay off recent wind loaded areas until the slope has had a chance to stabilize.>Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>Start with low angled slopes and test the storm snow bond before considering steeper objectives.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
Persistent weaknesses have been touchy recently and can increase the size and consequence of avalanches.
Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

3 - 7

Valid until: Mar 3rd, 2013 2:00PM