Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Glacier.
The Spring-time sunshine is strong. It doesn't take long for solar slopes to become unstable in direct sun.
Keep in the back of your mind that Persistent Weak Layers are still within human-triggering depths.
This being said, convective snow cells with light winds have freshened up the slopes nicely. Enjoy, but don't get too greedy!
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanche activity has tapered from over the weekend, with few new avalanches observed in the highway corridor.
Field teams have been able to initiate loose/dry surface sluffing to sz 1 in steep, north-facing Treeline terrain.
A skier reported loose debris from steep terrain on Balu Peak running onto the slope below, triggering a sz 2 slab.
On Sat, a skier triggered a sz 2 storm slab in Frequent Flyer, with the debris almost hitting the skin track.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 40cm of new snow has fallen since the big storm March 8/9. This new snow has been redistributed by strong SW winds. The March 5th interface exists down 50-100cm as 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
A brief ridge sets up Tues, but back to clouds/flurries for the rest of the week.
Tonight Clearing. Alpine low -11°C. Ridge wind W 20km/hr. Freezing Level (FZL) valley bottom.
Tues Mix of sun/cloud. Alp high -11°C. W wind 20km/hr. FZL 800m.
Wed Sun, cloud, isolated flurries, trace snow. Alpine high -8°C. Wind SW 25km/h. FZL 1300m.
Thurs Cloudy, scattered flurries, 5cm. Alpine high -7°C. Wind SW 25km/h. FZL 1400m.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
- Loose avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in larger avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Moderate to strong SW winds have redistributed the fresh, surface snow into a wind slab in exposed, cross-loaded features, as well as lee terrain. This slab will be most reactive where stiffened by the wind or warmed by the sun.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Persistent Slabs
A persistent weak layer (PWL) was buried March 5th and is now down 50-100cm in the snowpack. Depending on aspect and elevation, this layer may be suncrust, facets and/or surface hoar. There's potential for step-down avalanches to this layer if storm slabs in motion trigger them.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5