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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2022–Apr 24th, 2022

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Reactive wind slabs may exist in lee terrain features. Wet avalanche activity is likely at lower elevations with a poor overnight refreeze.

Localized areas in the south may receive more than 20 cm of new snow Saturday night. Treat the danger as CONSIDERABLE in these areas.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with rain at lower elevations and snow up high, 5 to 15 cm of new snow accumulation. Freezing level remains elevated at around 1400 m. Strong to extreme southerly wind. 

SUNDAY: Cloudy with rain at lower elevations and snow up high, 5 to 15 cm of new snow accumulation. Freezing level around 1300 m. Moderate to strong southerly winds.

MONDAY: Mainly cloudy with light flurries, up to 5 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. Freezing level around 1100 m. Light to moderate southerly winds.

TUESDAY: Partially cloudy with isolated flurries. Freezing level around 1000 m. Light southeasterly winds.

Avalanche Summary

A small skier-triggered wind slab was reported near Terrace on Wednesday (size 1). This avalanche occurred on a convex roll in the alpine and failed on a slick melt-freeze crust. 

Numerous wet loose avalanches (size 1-2) were observed on steep solar aspects on Thursday afternoon as a result of strong solar radiation. 

Looking forward to Sunday, fresh wind slabs are expected to be reactive to human-triggering in the alpine, particularly where they overlie a crust, faceted snow, or surface hoar. Wet loose avalanches will be likely at low elevations with rain and warm temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

New snow and southerly winds are expected to create fresh deposits of wind slab in the alpine and treeline. This 5-20 cm of new snow overlies heavily wind-affected and facetted surfaces, the product of strong outflow wind and cold temperatures early last week. A crust can be found on steep solar aspects. Below 1200 m, rain and warm temperatures are expected to have broken down the surface crust and the snowpack may become isothermal. Above 1200 m, 40-100 cm overlies another hard melt-freeze crust from late March.

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid freshly wind loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.
  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

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.

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.