Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 5th, 2015 7:55AM

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

rbuhler, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Conditions are generally stable but be cautious of lingering pockets of wind slabs in the alpine as well as sluffing from steep sun exposed slopes during the afternoon.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

The ridge should keep the region dry and mainly clear through the weekend. On Friday, a mix of sun and cloudy is expected with freezing levels climbing to around 2000m. Alpine winds are expected to be moderate from the NW. On Saturday, similar conditions are expected with a mix of sun and cloud, freezing levels around 2000m, and light-to-moderate NW winds in the alpine. Sunday looks to be mainly sunny and freezing levels could get as high as 2500m.

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday and Wednesday there were reports of small wind slabs being triggered by skiers and explosives. Also, natural sun-triggered sluffing of the new snow was reported from steep sun-exposed slopes. On Friday it may remain possible to trigger thin pockets of wind slabs in exposed leeward terrain features.

Snowpack Summary

Shady and sheltered slopes have 5-15 cm of recent new snow. Ongoing outflow winds have redistributed this new snow in wind-exposed terrain resulting in a highly variable snow surface and the formation of thin wind slabs in leeward features. Steep sun-exposed slopes have a thin new sun crust on the surface. The most prominent feature in the snowpack is the thick late-Feb crust, down 5-30 cm. This crust is supportive all the way to ridge crest and is effectively "capping" the snowpack, keeping riders from stressing any deeper weak layers. There are still weak layers below this crust that we'll continue to monitor, but for now these layers are dormant. We would likely need significant warming and/or heavy loading to re-activate them.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Recent light snowfall and moderate winds from the N through W directions have created pockets of thin wind slabs in leeward terrain features.

Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Wet

Warming temperatures and solar radiation may causing sluffing on steep sun exposed slopes in the afternoon.

Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. >Avoid steep sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 6th, 2015 2:00PM