Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Apr 8 – 9, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–4
    Large and weak cornices are a hazard in themselves, and can also act as a heavy trigger for very large avalanches on the slope below.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–7
    Persistent slabs are becoming less likely, but the potential exists for remote triggering, step down avalanches, and wide propagations, especially during periods of intense solar radiation and daytime warming.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–4
    Loose wet avalanches will become less likely as cloud cover increases, but warm temperatures could cause a continuation of this problem, especially below treeeline.

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Monday: Clouds with scattered light precipitation. Freezing level rising to around 1800m. Light southerly winds. Tuesday: Light precipitation. Freezing level rising to around 2400m in the afternoon. Wednesday: Light to moderate precipitation. Freezing level falling to 1500m this evening.

Avalanche Summary

New observations include several loose-wet avalanches up to size 2 from steep solar aspects and cornice fall. Reports from last week include natural activity up to size 3 in response to direct sun-exposure and deep, wide slabs which are suspected to have failed on the late-March interface.

Snowpack Summary

Solar aspects and lower elevations have gone through a melt-freeze cycle for the past few days. Shady north aspects have had some recent surface hoar growth and surface faceting. This sits on around 100 cm of well settled storm snow from last week. A predominately crusty weak interface from late March, now down 50-150cm, remains a potential failure layer for large slab avalanches, especially with heavy triggers such as cornice falls and step-down avalanches. Daytime warming and sun-exposure may cause surface snow to lose cohesion and cornices to weaken.

Regions covered