Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 17th, 2013 10:19AM
The alpine rating is Persistent Slabs, Wind Slabs and Cornices.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeSummary
Confidence
Poor - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Cloudy skies with temperatures reaching -2 and freezing levels climbing to 1900m. Expect light westerly winds and a chance of isolated flurries with limited accumulations.Friday: Expect continued unsettled skies with more isolated flurries, temperatures around -1 and light westerly winds. Freezing levels may again reach 1900m.Saturday: Clouds linger with more intermittent flurries. Alpine temperatures should be around -3 with continuing light west-southwest winds.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous rider triggered and isolated remote and sympathetic events have been reported in high (2400-2700m) north and northeast facing slopes up to size 2.5, all associated with preserved surface hoar.
Snowpack Summary
North and Northeast aspects above 2000m continue to hold dry snow; otherwise, the surface condition is crusts. The carrying strength of the crusts varies depending on aspect and elevation as well as proximity to rocks, etc.... Generally speaking, the crusts have been going moist in the afternoon and then refreezing at night in all but the lowest terrain. The recent storm snow has settled into a cohesive slab between 30-60cm deep. At the interface of this storm snow lies the April 05 layers. On solar aspects, the layer is a strong melt-freeze crust, with some faceting observed above and below. Reactivity on this layer has been inconsistent, with occasional sudden results and some whumphing. On North and Northeast aspects above 2350m, this interface may be preserved surface hoar (up to 15mm). Where the surface hoar is present we have reports of sudden results in stability tests and have seen rider triggered, sympathetic and remote events up to size 2.5. Professional operators express consistent concern for triggering this layer.Cornices are huge and will continue to grow with the forecasted precipitation.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 18th, 2013 2:00PM