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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2023–Apr 22nd, 2023

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Chic-Choc Mountains, Littoral, Murdochville.

Throughout the day, the heat and intense solar radiation will transform the snow on the surface to soften it, soak with water and offer corn snow spring conditions.

However, such conditions are favourable to the triggering of cornices and wet loose avalanches, which are particularly to watch for on steep slopes on solar aspects.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche has been observed or reported.

Thanks for contributing to the collection of this valuable data by sharing it with other users on the Mountain Information Network or by writing to us directly at [email protected].

Snowpack Summary

Despite the return of the freezing level at the valley bottom during the night, the heat and intense solar radiation will quickly transform the snow on the surface to soften it, soak with water and offer corn snow spring conditions.

In general, the rapid melting of the snowpack over the last days has exposed the ground, primarily at and below the treeline. Below the treeline, snow conditions are now minimal.Snowpack heights range from 0 cm (valley) to 105 cm (mid-mountain).

Weather Summary

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Synopsis: A ridge of high pressure is moving over the region to bring clear weather for the weekend.Friday evening and night: Partly cloudy, no precipitation, southerly winds 5 to 10 km/h, minimum 0 C, slight temperature inversion, freezing level at valley bottom.

Saturday: Mainly sunny, no precipitation, southeasterly winds 10 to 15 km/h, maximum +7 C, freezing level at 3000 m.

Sunday: Sunny, no precipitation, southeasterly winds 20 to 30 km/h, maximum +6 C, freezing level at 2700 m.

Monday: Sunny, no precipitation, southeasterly winds 10 to 20 km/h, maximum +5 C, freezing level at 2300 m.For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Rocks will heat up with daytime warming and may become trigger points for loose wet avalanches

Problems

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.

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.