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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 20th, 2025–Mar 21st, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Glacier.

Strong to extreme winds and new snow have created a windslab problem. Human triggered avalanches are likely.

Spring weather can change rapidly! Have a backup plan if conditions aren't what you were expecting.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity has tapered off in the last few days. The majority of the action has been either solar triggered loose dry when the sun pops out or windslabs at ridge top in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

Convective squalls have incrementally delivered up to 40-60cms of new snow in the last week. Recent wind has been redistributing the storm snow. The March 5th interface, down 50-100cm, consists of a crust &/or surface hoar (3-10mm, largest in the alpine). Two persistent weak layers (PWL) of heavily facetted snow from cold temps in Jan/Feb are now buried 120-160cm deep.

Weather Summary

Periods of snow and flurries for the next few days.

Tonight Cloudy with snow flurries. Snow: trace. Alpine low -8°C. Ridge wind SW 20-40km/hr

Fri Flurries. 10cm. Alpine high -6°C. Ridge winds SW 15 gusting 55km/h. FZL 1300m.

Sat Cloudy sunny periods, trace snow. Alpine high -8°C. Wind: West 20-40km/h. FZL 1200m.

Sun Cloudy with flurries. Alpine high -6°C. Wind SW 10-20. Freezing Level (FZL) 1300m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.