Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 23rd, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is
CB,
Avalanche Canada
Widespread solar crusts are making for challenging skiing on South through West aspects.
Stick to terrain sheltered from direct solar radiation to find the best skiing.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed Thursday along the highway corridor.
Earlier in the week, numerous afternoon solar triggered avalanches sz 2-2.5, with isolated sz 3's. Some of these avalanches, occurring at treeline and below, have failed at the ground and gouged deep into the snowpack.
Deep persistent slabs are a concern, with a report of a cornice-triggered pocket high on Mt Smart failing to glacial ice, as well as a deep slab on Mt Fidelity.
Snowpack Summary
Widespread crusts on solar aspects and patchy surface hoar in sheltered terrain will be buried by light amounts of new snow (~5cm). Warm temperatures have rapidly settled the snowpack this week. The March 11th surface hoar/crust interface is down 20-40 cm and still reactive in snowpack tests.
Below this is a generally strong snowpack, however the basal weakness of rounding facets/decomposing crust near the ground should factor in to your terrain-use decisions.
Weather Summary
An area of low pressure will bring convective flurries with light snow for Friday, unsettled weather continues through the weekend. Freezing levels will fall and increased cloud cover will result in a cool down.
Tonight: Flurries, Alp low -8*C, light SW ridge winds, FZL 1000 m
Fri: Flurries 5cm, Alp high -7, light W ridge winds, FZL 1500m
Sat: Cloudy/flurries, Trace, Alp high -7*C, light W winds, FZL 1400m
Valid until: Mar 24th, 2023 4:00PM
