Avalanche forecast

Lizard-Flathead

Apr 5 – 6, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 2 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low

Highlights

While human-triggered avalanches are unlikely, isolated terrain features at treeline and above may be holdouts. Watch for signs of instability as you approach open terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    20 cm of accumulated snow and northwest winds may have formed a wind slab over a supportive melt-freeze crust. Triggering these wind slabs is most likely in direct lee of ridges and high points in open terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, a few size 1 skier-triggered wind slabs and dry loose avalanches were reported across the region.

Data is limited in this region. Please consider posting your observations to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Isolated flurries have accumulated 15 to 20 cm of new snow over a widespread melt-freeze crust that can be found on all aspects and elevations. On solar-facing slopes, the melt-freeze crust is robust and supportive. A second crust in the upper snowpack is now down 20 to 40 cm, depending on aspect and elevation.

A persistent weak layer of facets sits on top of a second buried crust down 100 to 180 cm. This layer is unlikely to trigger a human trigger in areas where a thick crust above the weak layer is present.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 3 to 6 cm. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3° C.

Saturday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, 2 to 5 cm, increasing overnight to snow 5 to 10 cm. 20 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4° C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, 2 to 4 cm. 15 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3° C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Monday

Partly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2° C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for additional weather information.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.

Regions covered