Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Glacier.
The Spring Sun will cook up some avalanches as it warms the slopes. Save the suntanning for the beach and hustle across any solar-exposed terrain.
Lingering windslabs lurk on N through E aspects. Pay attention to these pockets as you drop your line.
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure will maintain dry, sunny weather today. Snow moving in Wed.
Today: mix of sun and cloud, FZL 2000m, ridge wind SW 15km/h gusting 40km/h.
Wed: Snow. 15-20cm, Alp high -4*C, FZL 1600m, ridge wind 20km/h gusting 60km/h
Thurs: Cloudy with isolated flurries and sun, trace precip, FZL 1400m, ridge winds 20km/h gusting 45km/h
Snowpack Summary
15-30cm of snow fell at treeline overnight Saturday and into Sunday; this was rain below 1200m. Wind blasted surfaces and suncrusts exist below the new snow, while the March 18th suncrust and surface hoar is buried ~80cm at treeline. Spring melt/freeze conditions prevail below treeline and on solar aspects to treeline.
Avalanche Summary
On Monday, a lone size 3.0 wind slab released naturally from the north side of Mt. Macdonald. Sunday, a skier triggered a large wind slab on the north side of Cheops and field teams were able to ski cut small size 1.0 wind slabs on a convex roll below the Asulkan hut. Saturday, a group triggered a size 2 in a shallow, wind loaded area.
Confidence
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
15-30cm of new snow with strong S'ly winds has created new wind slabs on ridgecrests and open alpine features. There have been a few skier accidental and skier controlled avalanches on this layer in the past few days!
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.
- Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Loose Wet
Avalanche activity will follow the strong Spring sunshine. Solar aspects will shed the recent snow as the sun warms the slopes - SE in the morning, S'ly midday, SW and W in the afternoon.
- Use extra caution on solar slopes or if the snow is moist or wet.
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5