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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 and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Watch for the formation of thin wind slabs up high Saturday afternoon. Even with overcast skies tomorrow, wet avalanches become more likely on south facing slopes as temperatures warm in the afternoon.

Confidence

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

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 1000 m, trace to 5 cm of snow possible, light southwest wind.

SATURDAY: Overcast with some clearing in the early evening, 1 to 5 cm of snow possible throughout the day, light west/northwest wind, freezing level around 1500 m.

SUNDAY: Broken cloud cover at dawn building to overcast by lunch, a few cm of snow possible, moderate south/southwest wind, freezing level around 1500 m. 5 to 10 cm expected Sunday night.

MONDAY: Overcast, 10 to 20 cm of snow possible, strong southwest wind, freezing level around 1500 m.

Avalanche Summary

Aside from a bit of minor pinwheeling, no new avalanches reported in the last 72 hours.

On Tuesday, natural avalanche activity was observed on all aspects to size 3. A size 2 wet slab avalanche was rider triggered on a south facing treeline slope, failing on the crust buried in early March.

Snowpack Summary

Small pockets of wind slab may sit on north and east facing slopes at higher elevations. The upper snowpack is going through a daily melt-freeze cycle. A crust exists on all aspects to around 2500 m. Warm temperatures and sun may soften or break down the crust during the day and create moist snow. At very low elevations, the snowpack may be wet and isothermal, depending on overnight freezing levels. 

At 40 to 70 cm below the snow surface a sun crust exists on solar aspects, and weak surface hoar crystals sit on shaded aspects from early March. Reports suggest this layer is bonding well. The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well settled.

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 steep, sun exposed slopes, especially 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.