Warm and sunny weather is likely to produce loose snow avalanches, especially on southerly aspects. The danger is rated for the warmest part of the day.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate -
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY NIGHT - Mainly clear / east wind, 15-30 km/h / alpine low temperature near -2 / freezing level 1600 mTHURSDAY - Sunny / southeast wind, 10-20 km/h / alpine high temperature near 0 / freezing level 1600 mFRIDAY - Mainly sunny / light west winds / alpine high temperature near +2 / freezing level 1700 mSATURDAY - A mix of sun and cloud / light northwest winds / alpine high temperature near +1 / freezing level 1700 m
Avalanche Summary
When the sun comes out and temperatures rise during the day, loose wet avalanches will be likely on sun-affected slopes.
Snowpack Summary
Dry snow may still be found on shady slopes in the alpine. At these locations, 30-50 cm of well settled snow overlies a layer of weak
facets that was buried around March 10th. This is currently the primary layer of concern for human triggering persistent slab avalanches, although there have been no recent reports of avalanches on this layer.Lower down in the snowpack, the base is composed of weak facets. Large avalanches initiating on these facets are unlikely, but feasible, as we go through another period of warming. They are most likely to occur on steep, smooth, rocky, terrain in areas where the snowpack depth is shallow.The prolonged warm spell has transitioned sun exposed slopes in the alpine and all aspects at treeline and below towards becoming isothermal (0 C throughout the snowpack). In these areas, spring conditions are in effect; the avalanche hazard will fluctuate greatly depending on the strength of the overnight freeze and how quickly the snowpack is warmed up each day. Check out this guide to managing avalanche hazard during spring conditions
here.
kdevine,
Avalanche Canada
