Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 4th, 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, Loose Wet and Cornices.

pmarshall, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Due to limited field observations

Weather Forecast

A strong ridge of high pressure will maintain sunny skies and light winds for the forecast period. The freezing level should rise to around 1000-1200m each day and return to valley bottom overnight.

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 continuing on sunny slopes during the day.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate winds have blown light amounts of new snow into variable wind slabs in exposed lee and cross-loaded terrain. In sheltered areas 15-30cm of new snow sits on the previous surface that includes 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

Thin wind slabs have formed in exposed lee and cross-loaded features. 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

Loose Wet

Loose wet avalanches are likely on sun exposed slopes during the day. Isolated wet slab avalanches are also possible.

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Cornices

Large cornices exist in alpine terrain and they may pop off with warmer temperatures and intense solar radiation. A failure could be destructive by itself, and could also trigger an avalanche on the slope below.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 5

Valid until: Apr 5th, 2012 9:00AM