Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 25th, 2021 4:04PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.

Mark Herbison,

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Expect to see wind slab development as winds increase on Friday. Loose dry sluffs are a major concern for those venturing into steep confined terrain features.

Excellent snow quality exists at tree line and above.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Mainly cloudy skies on Friday with isolated flurries accumulating 1-2cm of snow. The freezing level will be around 1600m as the valley bottom high will reach +3. Winds will range from 20-50km/hr from the SW. Additional snow and increasing winds are forecasted for the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

15-40 cm of snow has fallen within the last week with variable SW-NW winds. This new snow sits over a sun crust (up to ridge tops) on solar aspects, over a temperature crust at lower elevations and over a mix of surfaces on North aspects including facets and spotty surface hoar. Thin snowpack areas are becoming isothermal below treeline.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural avalanche activity observed or reported today other than some small loose dry sluffs out of steep alpine terrain.

Local ski areas were able to explosively trigger cornices up to sz 1.5, which pulled small pockets of wind slab on the slopes below.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Watch for wind slab development along ridge lines as the winds are forecasted to increase on Friday and there is plenty of dry loose snow for transport.

  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially in steep confined alpine terrain.
  • Use caution in lee areas. Wind loading could create slabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

An icon showing Loose Dry

This problem exists in steep alpine terrain, limit your exposure to overhead hazards that could have serious consequence in exposed terrain.

  • Be careful of loose dry power sluffing in steep, confined or exposed terrain.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Mar 26th, 2021 4:00PM