Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Mar 3, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 10 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Storm and wind slab avalanches will become more likely and larger with continued strong winds, snow and warming temperatures.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Touchy storm slabs will form with continued snowfall and warming temperatures, and expected to be especially deep and touchy on wind loaded slopes.

Snowpack Summary

20-50 low density fresh snow is bonding poorly to previously wind-affected surfaces (e.g. scoured crust, hard sastrugi, or stubborn wind slabs) in exposed areas, or around 20 cm of faceted snow in sheltered areas.  Strong southerly winds have scoured wind-exposed slopes and deposited deep drifts on lee aspects. A crust from mid-February is below all this, down around 50-70cm. Recent snowpack tests have been giving moderate sudden results in facets above this crust. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and strong.

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY: Snow flurries with another 5-10cm of accumulation. Moderate SW winds. Temperatures starting to cool with freezing level lowering to around 900m.SATURDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing another 5cm. Light southerly winds and freezing levels dropping to 700 m.SUNDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing another 5cm. Light southerly winds and freezing levels dropping to 500 m.

Avalanche Summary

Reports from Wednesday include several skier and explosives triggered storm slab avalanches up to Size 1.5 and natural soft wind slab avalanche up to Size 2. Of note was one remotely triggered Size 1.5 30cm thick wind slab avalanche from a skier 7m away that ran on facets overlying a crust that formed mid-February.

Regions covered