Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 18th, 2022 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Cornices.

Garth Lemke,

8-12cm of snow is expected Tues to Wed am with a few hours of gusting 45km/hr winds Tuesday evening. This may be just enough to increase the alpine hazard for Wednesday yet models are uncertain. Choose routes that avoid Cornices asĀ  overhead hazard.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Monday night will be cloudy, clear periods, flurries, trace of snow, -5C, and light winds. By Tuesday evening we may get 8cm thus expect clouds, 15 gusting 45km/hr West winds, and -4C. Wednesday may be clouds, sun, flurries, trace of snow, -10 to -4C, 1700m freezing level, and light SE wind. Check Avalanche Canada MWF for weather updates.

Snowpack Summary

Wind effected surface snow on all aspects from recent variable winds with scouring on windward ridge features. Isolated wind slabs and cross loaded pockets exist in the alpine and have bonded well to the previous surface. A variety of temperature crusts are present in the upper snowpack at all elevations and aspects except N-NE high alpine.

Avalanche Summary

No field patrol on Monday and nothing new reported. Sunday's Maligne patrol observed no new avalanche activity. On Saturday we observed a few loose dry steep solar aspects alpine up to size 1. Two cornice failures were noted on the Churchill range from Thursday and Tuesday. Please consider submitting a MIN report if you observe any new activity.

Confidence

on Tuesday

Problems

Cornices

An icon showing Cornices

Infrequent cornice failures have been observed this past week. They are not triggering slopes below as a sign of good stability yet are a hazard by their sheer mass and severe consequences of being on one if it failed. Treat them with utmost respect.

  • Minimize exposure to corniced features.
  • Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Apr 19th, 2022 4:00PM