Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 24th, 2024 4:00PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is high. Known problems include Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada lcrawley, Avalanche Canada

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Large avalanches are likely to occur. Avoid all avalanche terrain.

A dangerously buried weak layer has shown it can be triggered from far away.

Summary

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Significant avalanche activity is suspected to have occurred on Saturday but no new reports have come in at the time of publishing.

Several small and large (size 2) rider-triggered storm and persistent slab avalanches were reported on Friday. Some were triggered remotely from up to 40 m away.

Snowpack Summary

Another 20 to 40 cm is expected by the end of the day on Sunday. This will add to the 20 to 30 cm that has buried a variety of weak layers including surface hoar, facets, and a crust at low elevations and on south and west-facing slopes.

The widespread crust buried in early February is near the surface on exposed alpine terrain and down up to 70 cm elsewhere. In most areas, this crust has a layer of facets above it.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 35 to 45 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 35 to 45 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. up to 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.

Tuesday

Mostly clear skies. 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -17 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Shooting cracks, whumphs and recent avalanches are strong indicators of an unstable snowpack.
  • Fresh snow rests on a problematic persistent slab, don't let good riding lure you into complacency.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs

New snow sits on surface hoar, facets, or a crust. Expect this problem to get worse as the new snow gets deeper.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

As new snow accumulates above this crust the size and frequency of avalanches will also increase.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 3.5

Valid until: Feb 25th, 2024 4:00PM