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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 1st, 2022–Apr 2nd, 2022

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

Regions

South Rockies.

Expect firm conditions in the morning, potentially softening with sun and warm temperatures throughout the day. Wet avalanches become more likely on south facing slopes as the surface crust breaks down, and snow becomes wet and heavy. 

Confidence

Low - Forecast precipitation (either snow or rain) amounts are uncertain.

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 1000 m, no significant snowfall expected, light southwest wind.

SATURDAY: Scattered cloud with some clearing in the early evening, no significant snowfall expected, light variable wind, freezing level around 1800 m.

SUNDAY: A few clouds at dawn building to overcast by lunch, a few cm of snow possible, moderate southwest wind, freezing level around 1800 m. 4 to 10 cm possible Sunday night.

MONDAY: Overcast, 8 to 20 cm of snow possible, strong southwest wind, freezing level around 1900 m.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported since Tuesday, when natural wet avalanches were reported on steep sun affected slopes to size 1. 

Snowpack Summary

A good snapshot of the current conditions can be found in this MIN report from our field team. The upper snowpack is going through a daily melt-freeze cycle. A crust exists on all aspects to around 2500 m and likely to mountain top on sun affected slopes. Warm temperatures and sun are softening or breaking down the crust during the day and creating moist snow. At very low elevations, the snowpack may be wet and isothermal, depending on overnight freezing levels.

Below 1700 m, the snowpack has been reported as being moist to ground, and is becoming isothermal.

Terrain and Travel

  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.

Problems

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.