Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 13th, 2024 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

Avalanche Canada trettie, Avalanche Canada

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Assess for wind slabs in steep alpine terrain before committing yourself.

Summary

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

We have not recieved any reports of new avalanches in the past couple days.

Snowpack Summary

A breakable melt-freeze crust is found on the snow surface everywhere except for due north aspects. Around 20 cm of recent snow and southwest wind may have formed wind slabs in lee terrain features in the alpine. These slabs may need a few days to bond to the snowpack.

A weak layer of faceted grains and/or surface hoar crystals may be found around 30 to 60 cm deep, particularly on northerly alpine slopes. The weak layer may be close to a hard melt-freeze crust from early April.

A few weak layers deeper in the snowpack in northerly alpine terrain are gaining strength. It remains unlikely to trigger them, but a large load such as a cornice fall could.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Mostly clear. 15 to 35 km/h west alpine wind. Treeline temperature -4°C.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud with trace amounts of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h west alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1300 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud.  20 to 30 km/h northwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -3°C.

Tuesday

Sunny. 5 to 15 km/h northeast alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Wind slabs may remain triggerable in wind-loaded alpine terrain features.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Apr 14th, 2024 4:00PM

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