Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 27th, 2022–Mar 28th, 2022

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 unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Keep an eye on the snow surface, as it gets moist from warming and solar input the size and likelihood of wet loose avalanches will increase.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

Sunday night: No new snow expected. Possibility of temperature inversion with temps around -1 at 1500 m. Light northerly winds.

Monday: Sunny with no new snow expected and light west winds. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with light flurries in the evening bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light to moderate south winds and freezing levels rising to 1600 m.

Wednesday: Cloudy with around 5 cm of new snow expected. Light to moderate southwest winds. Freezing level around 1100 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday wet loose avalanches to size 1.5 were observed throughout the region on solar aspects and lower elevation terrain. 2 size two natural glide slab avalanches were also observed around 1000 m.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slab could still be found on north and east facing terrain in the alpine. A crust can be found at or near the surface on all aspects and elevations except high north terrain. Moist snow will likely be observed at lower elevations and solar aspects as the freezing level rises and the sun comes out.

A weak layer of surface hoar from mid March buried 70-120 cm deep can still be found but is considered dormant at this time.

Terrain and Travel

As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.