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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 29th, 2019–Mar 30th, 2019

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Rockies.

Warm and sunny weather may produce loose snow avalanches, especially on southerly aspects if solar radiation is strong. The danger is rated for the warmest part of the day.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT - Mainly clear / light northwest wind / alpine low temperature near -2 SATURDAY - A mix of sun and cloud / light northwest wind / alpine high temperature near +2 / freezing level 2300 mSUNDAY - Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries or rain showers / light southerly winds / alpine high temperature near -1 / freezing level 2000 mMONDAY - Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, up to 5 cm / light southeast winds / alpine high temperature near -1 / freezing level 1700 m

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, there were reports of a few loose wet avalanches up to size 1.5 out of steep, sun-exposed terrain.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack on sun exposed slopes in the alpine and all aspects at treeline and below is becoming moist or wet, during the heat of the day. In these areas that have entered spring conditions, the avalanche hazard will fluctuate greatly depending on the strength of the overnight freeze and how quickly the snowpack is warmed up each day. Check out this guide to managing avalanche hazard during spring conditions HERE.In areas that remained more sheltered from the heat, like northerly aspects in the alpine, there is still a dry snowpack with a well settled slab sitting on weak facets (sugary snow).Lower down in the snowpack, the base is composed of weak facets.

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.