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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2022–Mar 27th, 2022

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Think about warming and solar input as you move through terrain. The likelihood of cornice falls and wet loose avalanches could increase throughout the day.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the fact that cornice falls are particularly difficult to forecast.

Weather Forecast

Saturday night: Light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow with light south winds. Low of -2 at 900 m. 

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries in the morning bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light variable winds. Freezing levels rising to 1400 m.

Monday: Sunny with no new snow expected and light west winds. Freezing level rising to 1400 m.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with no new snow expected. Light to moderate south winds and freezing levels rising to 1400 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Friday explosive control triggered several small avalanches as well as one size two cornice, it did not trigger a slab on the slope below. Wet loose avalanches up to size 1.5 were observed in steep terrain at lower elevations and on solar aspects throughout the region.

Snowpack Summary

Variable wind effect in exposed treeline and alpine terrain. Below 1500 m, recent snow tapers in depth and sits over a wet or crusty upper snowpack. Moist snow will likely be observed at lower elevations and solar aspects as the freezing level rises and the sun comes out.

A weak layer of surface hoar from mid March buried 70-120 cm deep can still be found but is considered dormant at this time.

Terrain and Travel

  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.

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.

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.