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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2016–Apr 22nd, 2016

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Glacier.

Rain will destabilize the already moist snowpack. Expect conditions to deteriorate quickly this afternoon.

Weather Forecast

Expect a mix of sun and cloud with isolated showers today.  Alpine temperatures reach a high of 16 this afternoon with freezing levels reaching 3600m. Winds will be moderate from the south.  A frontal system moves in early tomorrow morning with rain continuing through the weekend.  Freezing levels will remain high.

Snowpack Summary

Sustained warm temperatures have led to poor overnight recovery of the snowpack with moist isothermal snow in the top 1m. Surface crusts break down well before noon on all aspects at treeline and lower alpine. Snow is disappearing rapidly from lower elevations.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanche cycles continue to occur with daytime warming with large loose wet avalanches running to valley bottom.

Confidence

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.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

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.