Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 24th, 2022 4:00PM

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

snow safety,

Email

We are entering the time of year where avalanche danger will be directly related to how hot it gets. Many areas will have a LOW danger rating unless they are exposed to the sun. Monitor locally for this. 

Summary

Weather Forecast

Valley bottom freezing levels Friday AM rising to 1900m with light winds and a mix of sun and cloud. Saturday is currently forecast to be much the same with increased cloud cover and a trace of snow in some places.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm in the last 24 hours overlies a new melt freeze crust which extends high into the alpine on solar aspects, and to 2200m on shady aspects. New snow becoming moist in the early PM. Up to treeline, the snow below the new crust was still moist from previous heat. Several buried crusts exist on solar aspects and are found 10 to 80 cm deep.

Avalanche Summary

Explosives control on Wednesday produced mixed results with many that were no result, and other avalanches in the size 1-2.5 range. A size 3 was also triggered on mount Field and Silverhorn Mountains. Forecasters today on a S aspect in Hidden bowl were ski cutting loose wet slides (size 1) over the new crust that ran surprisingly far.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Friday

Problems

Loose Wet

An icon showing Loose Wet

Solar aspects are prone to increasing hazard as temperatures warm. This problem will be different slope to slope and will require a close eye to changing conditions on your trip. 

Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

Many crusts exist in the snowpack from 10 to 80+cm deep. Forecasters feel triggering deeper crusts is unlikely, except on slopes deteriorating in the sun. This will be a common theme as we move into spring.

Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 25th, 2022 4:00PM

Login