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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 6th, 2023–May 7th, 2023

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Glacier.

Avalanche danger may be variable and can easily range from low to high throughout the day. In general, reduce your exposure to avalanche terrain during periods of solar radiation, daytime warming, or rain.

For more information on the spring hazard, click here.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday several large wet loose avalanches were observed in the highway corridor.

This is capping off a very active week of spring avalanche activity - there was a widespread cycle of natural and controlled, wet loose and deep slab avalanches with numerous sz 3, and isolated sz 4's. Many avalanche paths failed down to ground once the avalanches were in motion.

Snowpack Summary

Rain & warm temps have penetrated the snowpack creating a moist, isothermal snowpack on all aspects into the alpine. Buried crusts in the upper 50 cm are breaking down. Shallow snowpack features have loose, weak snow to ground.

20-40cm above the ground the Nov 17 basal weakness can still be found in many areas.

Weather Summary

Warm and dry weather has come to an end as a trough of low pressure brings light precip and dropping freezing levels (FZL).

Tonight: Isolated flurries, Alpine Low 0°C, FZL 2000m, Moderate W ridgetop wind.

Sun: Isolated flurries, High 1°C, FZL 2200m, light W winds.

Mon: Wet flurries (6cm), Low -1°C, High 3°C. FZL 2400m.

Tues: Cloudy with sunny periods, Low 0°C, High 8°C, FZL 2700m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Remember that in the spring strong solar radiation and warm temperatures can weaken the snow in a matter of minutes.
  • Minimize exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of runout zones.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.