Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 12th, 2016 4:00PM
The alpine rating is Loose Wet and Deep Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeClearing toward the end of Wednesday may increase the likelihood of loose and wet avalanches and deep persistent slabs.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Clearing skies toward the end of the day and a slightly lower freezing level are expected on Wednesday.
Snowpack Summary
A weak freeze overnight created supportive crusts that were breaking down by the late morning. Below the crust isothermal snow was found up to treeline on all aspects, and in thin alpine areas on S aspects. N aspects in the high alpine are more winter like. In many places the upper snowpack sits on a weaker deep persistent layer of rounding facets.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches observed or reported today.Explosive control on Saturday during the heat of the afternoon was able to produce several 2.5-3 loose wet avalanches out of steep treeline terrain in the Kootenay region.
Confidence
Problems
Loose Wet
All avalanche terrain should be avoided later in the day when the crust on top of the snowpack breaks down due to daytime heating. Cloud cover may reduce the likelihood of this on Wednesday.
Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. Travel early on frozen crusts before the heat of the day.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep facet layers remain weak especially in thin snowpack areas and may be triggered during the hotter parts of the day.
Travel early before the heat of the day, and avoid big slopes in the afternoon.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 13th, 2016 4:00PM