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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2022–Mar 27th, 2022

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

Regions

North Columbia.

Warm air and rain may destabilize the snowpack at lower elevations, with new wind slabs potentially forming up high. 

Head out with a conservative mindset and adjust your travel plans accordingly to the changing conditions of elevation and time of day.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to rapidly fluctuating freezing levels.

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with precipitation, 5 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. 15-40km/h southwest winds. Freezing level around 1000 m.

SUNDAY: Cloudy with precipitation, 5-10 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. 20-45 km/h southwest winds. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.

MONDAY: Cloudy with precipitation, 5-10 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. 15-40 km/h northwest winds. Freezing level around 1800 m.

TUESDAY: Mainly clear. 10-30 km/h southwest winds. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.

Avalanche Summary

Two persistent slab avalanches were reported on Friday. One was a large (size 3) natural avalanche that was observed at 2000 m on an east aspect. The other was a result of explosive control on a cornice that initiated a large persistent slab avalanche (size 3) on a northeast aspect in the alpine. Explosive control also produced several large (size 2-3) cornices that did not initiate slab avalanches on the slopes below.

Two persistent slab avalanches were reported on Thursday, both on south-facing alpine slopes. One was a large (size 2.5) natural avalanche and the other was a small (size 1.5) slab remotely triggered by riders.

Widespread loose wet and wet slab avalanche activity occurred during the warm-up on Wednesday and Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

Above 2000 m, 5 to 15 cm of recent snow and southwest winds may have formed small wind slabs in lee terrain features. Below 2000 m a refrozen crust can be found. This crust is expected to break down throughout the day at low elevations with rain and warm temperatures. Below the crust, the top 10-30 cm of the snowpack is moist. At very low elevations, the snowpack may become wet and isothermal.

A weak layer may be found around 50 to 100 cm deep. The layer consists of surface hoar crystals in treeline terrain on northerly aspects or weak faceted grains above a hard melt-freeze crust on sun-exposed slopes (i.e., east, south, west). It has been reactive between 1800 and 2300 m but given the recent rain, it is most likely to be triggered between 2000 and 2300 m. It should still be treated as suspect if you find it in your riding area.

The remainder of the snowpack is well-bonded.

Terrain and Travel

  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.

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.