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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2022–Apr 24th, 2022

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

Regions

Glacier.

Things can change quickly with the late April sun.

It's a good time to take advantage of fast travel in the early morning, and manage your exposure to solar slopes with your exit plan.

Weather Forecast

Sunny periods and elevated freezing levels (FZL) are forecast through Sunday. Unsettled weather returns Monday evening

Tonight: Mainly cloudy. No precip. Low -2*C, FZL to valley bottom. Light SW wind

Sunday: Mostly sunny, high 1*C, FZL 2200m, light S wind

Mon: Flurries, 8cm. Low -4*C, high 1*C, FZL 2200m, strong SW wind

Snowpack Summary

Variable windslabs exist in the alpine. A breakable surface crust can be found up to 2400m.

The April 18th crust, down 5-30 cm, is widespread up to 2200m & on alpine solar aspects.

Below treeline, the snowpack has gone through several melt-freeze cycles & is capped by a crust that breaks down with daytime warming.

Avalanche Summary

On Friday and today there has been a small cycle of solar triggered loose snow avalanches on slopes where the sun popped out. One notable natural size 3 slab avalanche occurred from a West aspect at treeline on Avalanche Crest (suspected to be windslab on the April 18th crust).

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

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.

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.

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.