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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 9th, 2021–Apr 10th, 2021

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

Regions

Glacier.

Wind and snow will increase avalanche hazard throughout the day. Cornices and glide cracks are springtime problems that are difficult to forecast for. Best to give both a wide berth.

Weather Forecast

A passing frontal system will bring flurries with 8cm of accumulation today and another 5cm overnight. Alpine temperature will reach a high of -6, SW winds 25km/h gusting to 65km/h, and freezing level at 1200m. A high pressure system establishes saturday afternoon, ushering in a spring like weather pattern for the next week or so.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10cm of new snow is being blown into fresh wind slabs and covering a variety of old surfaces: settled powder on sheltered alpine N aspects, wind slabs/ wind pressed surfaces in exposed areas, a sun crust on solar aspects, and spring melt/freeze crust below treeline. Cornices are large and fragile. The March 18 crust is buried ~80-100cm.

Avalanche Summary

Two large glide releases (size 4 and size 3) were observed in the highway corridor off of Mt Tupper. A field team on Mt Fidelity was able to ski cut a size 1.5 wind slab at 2000m on a north aspect. The crew also observed a natural cornice fall resulting in a size 2 avalanche. The cornice did not trigger a slab.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Problems

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.