Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 15th, 2015 9:17AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Cornices.

bcorrigan, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

Winds are redistributing the recent snowfall into slabs on lee slopes. Careful terrain selection and route finding are important for safe back country riding.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

Precipitation should taper off late today ( Sunday) and give the Sea to Sky region a somewhat sunny Monday and Tuesday. Freezing levels should stay close to1500m, for the rest of the week. Little precipitation is expected until Thursday.

Avalanche Summary

Reports from yesterday tell of a few size 1 storm slabs, wind slab and loose-wet avalanches. Explosive testing has produced few results

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is generally strong and well settled with 10 cm of new snow overlying a variety of melt-freeze crusts on solar aspects in the alpine as well as lower elevations. Old wind slabs and surface facets may still still exist on high north facing slopes. The recent storm with strong winds has scoured windward slopes down to the old crusty surfaces and developed wind slabs on lee slopes. Solar aspects are moist during the day and forming crusts at night. Cornices continue to grow and may become weak with daytime warming.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Recent storm snow accompanied by strong wind has scoured windward slopes and built wind slabs on lee features in the alpine and at tree line.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.>Avoid cross loaded slopes at or above treeline.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Cornices

Cornices continue to grow with strong winds and fresh precipitation

Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.>Stay well back from cornices.>Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.>Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Mar 16th, 2015 2:00PM