Avalanche forecast

Lizard-Flathead

Apr 13 – 14, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 9 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Watch for the sun coming out on Friday affecting steep sun exposed slopes at all elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Cornices will continue to grow and become more overhanging with warm temperatures and precipitation.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Moist new snow falling above 2000m is being redistributed by south and west winds.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    As the sun comes out in the coming days it will soften and destabilize the surface snow on steep slopes facing the sun.

Confidence

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Friday

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -1 / Freezing level 1500mSATURDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light to moderate west southwest wind / Alpine temperature -2 / Freezing level 1500mSUNDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light west wind / Alpine temperature 0 / Freezing level 1700m

Avalanche Summary

Reports on Thursday indicate numerous skier controlled and natural loose wet avalanches to size 1.5 on all aspects up to 2000m. Additionally explosive controlled moist storm slab avalanches were reported to size 2, 20-30cm deep on north and east aspects above 2000m.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20cm of new snow fell at upper elevations Wednesday night. Thursday during the day the precipitation fell as rain up to 2000m making the snow surface moist or wet. This adds to moist new snow from the previous weekend and all sits on a well developed crust layer that formed up to 1400m on all aspects except south where it formed up to 1700m. The snowpack is generally well settled and continues to transition into a spring melt/freeze regime. Below 1300m the snowpack may be moist or wet through its entire thickness. In the alpine cornices continue to grow large and ever more overhanging.

Regions covered