The avalanche danger is currently trending with the appearance of the sun and afternoon warming. The danger is rated for the warmest part of the day.
Summary
Confidence
High - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY Night: Mainly cloudy / light west wind / alpine temperature -4 C / freezing level 1000 m WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / moderate east wind / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1600 mTHURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / light east wind / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1600 mFRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / light north wind / alpine temperature -1 C / freezing level 1900 m
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday, there was a report near Fernie of a skier triggered, size 2.5 wet slab avalanche that began as a loose wet avalanche and then gathered mass which ran much further than expected through low angle terrain.
Snowpack Summary
The prolonged warm spell has transitioned sun exposed slopes in the alpine and all aspects at treeline and below towards being moist or wet throughout. In these areas that have entered spring conditions, the avalanche hazard will fluctuate greatly depending on the strength of the overnight freeze and how quickly the snowpack is warmed up each day. Check out this guide to managing avalanche hazard during spring conditions
HERE.In areas that remained more sheltered from the heat, like northerly aspects in the alpine, there may still be a dry snowpack with a well settled slab sitting on weak facets (sugary snow). Human triggering of persistent slabs on this layer may still be possible; especially in rocky alpine terrain with a shallow or highly variable depth snowpack.
mbender,
Avalanche Canada
