Register
Get forecast notifications
Create an account to receive email notifications when forecasts are published.
Login
Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 17th, 2015–Mar 18th, 2015
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Northwest Inland.

Winds have created a variable snowpack. Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.

Confidence

Fair - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Generally light precipitation is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, with the freezing level around 1200 m and winds moderate to strong from the S to SE. On Friday, a more organised system brings 5-10 mm precipitation with the freezing level near 1400 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, a skier triggered a size 2 wind slab on a NE aspect at 1300 m. Several loose avalanches also failed on steep sunny slopes. On Sunday, skiers triggered several size 1 storm slabs on steep lee features. Click on the blue dot on the map to see a recent wind slab that may have failed naturally or remotely in Sinclair. It was a thick, hard wind slab on a north aspect. There are likely to more like this lurking.

Snowpack Summary

Anywhere from 20 to 120 cm recent storm snow has been redistributed by winds into soft and hard wind slabs at alpine and treeline elevations (highest storm snow amounts were in the north and west). This overlies various surfaces including old wind slabs, hard crusts, surface hoar, and/or surface facets. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found. Cornices are large and potentially fragile. Below treeline, the snow appears to be in a spring melt-freeze cycle.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs may be triggered by the weight of a person or sled. Cornices may also be fragile.
Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.>Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind slabs on slopes below.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 4