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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 18th, 2023–Apr 19th, 2023

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Chic-Choc Mountains, Littoral, Murdochville.

Wednesday is a typical spring scenario. Avalanche danger and problems will vary depending on the elevation and time of day.

At this time of year, conditions are dynamic and change rapidly. Carefully assess your line before committing to it.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

At the time of publication, no new avalanches had been observed or reported.

Thanks for contributing to the collection of this valuable data by sharing it with other users on the Mountain Information Network or by writing to us directly at [email protected].

Snowpack Summary

Warm temperatures and rain, combined with the drop of the freezing level and a bit of new snow, create variable conditions in the mountains. In general, the snowpack is melting fast, and the ground is exposed, in places, mainly at and below the treeline. Above the freezing level, colder temperatures have created a widespread crust. Some pockets of new, heavier snow, might be found on some features. Below the freezing level, snow conditions are rather sticky and slow (looted potato snow). In the absence of a nightly refreeze, the snowpack becomes progressively more fragile, wetter and less cohesive, and the forecasted rain will only accentuate the weakening of the snowpack and the cornices. The height of the snow cover varies between 20 cm (valley) and 110 cm (mid-mountain).

Weather Summary

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Synopsis: The centre of the low pressure system that has been affecting the Chic-Chocs for the past two days will pass to the west of the region, causing the freezing levels to drop.

Tuesday evening and night: Cloudy. Mix of rain and snow. Winds 25 to 35 km/h from the west quadrants. Min. -1C. Freezing level at 750 m.

Wednesday: Cloudy. Mix of rain and snow ending in AM. Winds from 15 to 25 km/h from the southwest. Temperatures around 0C.

Thursday: Cloudy. Trace of snow. Winds from 20 to 25 km/h from the northwest. Max. -3C.

Friday: Cloudy. No precipitation. Winds from 5 to 10 km/h from the southwest. Max. -3C.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.