Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2025–Apr 6th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Glacier.

High freezing levels and strong solar will potentially destabilize the snowpack. Avoid solar aspects if the snowpack becomes punchy and isothermal.

In these spring-like conditions, an EARLY START will give you the best margin of safety.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday a party triggered a size 1.5 slab on a steep line on the North face of Cheops. One person was involved and lost equipment.

A field team was able to ski cut a sz 1.5 wind slab from an alpine lee feature on Christiana Ridge last Wednesday.

The March 27th crust has added bridging strength to the snowpack but things may fall apart quickly when that crust breaks down in the heat.

Snowpack Summary

10-20cm of dry powder exists on northerly aspects in the alpine. Solar aspects have a surface crust of varying thickness.

Below this surface snow, a 10-25cm thick crust of variable strength from last week's rain event is present. Test results have varied on this crust, from no result to moderate failures.

Below 2300m moist snow can be found under this crust.

A series of persistent weak layers exist in the midpack that may come back into play in the next warm up.

Weather Summary

High pressure will bring clearing and rising temps for the weekend.

Tonight Clear, nil precip. Alp low 0°C. Ridge wind SW 15-km/h. Freezing Level (FZL) 1700m, weak temperature inversion.

Sun Mix of sun/cloud. Precip: nil. Alp high 5°. Wind South 15 km/h. FZL 3000m.

Mon Wet flurries. Snow: 6cm. Alp high 3°C. Wind S 20 km/hr gusting 50km/hr. FZL 2300m.

Tues Mix sun & cloud. Alp high: -1°C. Light SW ridge wind. FZL 1900m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

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.