Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 25th, 2023 2:30PM

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

Avalanche Canada cwild, Avalanche Canada

Email

Although shallow, the wind slabs will be increasingly reactive throughout the day on Sunday.

Continue to practice good travel and group management habits by skiing the committing lines one at a time and regrouping in safe areas.

Summary

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A few wet loose avalanches of size 0.5 were observed directly below rocks, on sunny slopes.

Thanks for contributing to the collection of this valuable data by sharing with other users on the Mountain Information Network or by writing to us directly at bulletin@avalanchequebec.ca.

Snowpack Summary

The top of the snowpack consists of 10 to 25 cm of new snow with surprisingly little wind effect from Thursday's storm, other than very soft waves of snow on the SW-S-SE aspects. Below 600m and at all elevations on the solar slopes, this new snow is moist on the surface, and should freeze overnight Saturday into Sunday. The mid-snowpack is well consolidated, and right-side up, interspersed with several melt-freeze freezing crusts from the last few weeks.

Weather Summary

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Synopsis: A storm from the Great Lakes beginning Sunday could leave close to 10 cm by Monday.

Saturday night and overnight: Increasing clouds. Trace of snow. Winds from 40 to 50 km/h from the southeast. Min. -6C.

Sunday: Cloudy. 2 to 4 cm of snow. Winds from 30 to 40 km/h from the southeast. Max. -6C.

Monday: Cloudy. 2 to 5 cm of snow. Winds from 10 to 15 km/h from the southeast. Max. -5C.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Trace of snow. Winds from 10 to 15 kph from the northeast. Max. -6C.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

The wind slabs will develop throughout the day, Sunday, and could reach up to 20 cm deep by the end of the day. On solar aspects, and below 600m, these slabs will rest on a thin melt-freeze crust, due to the mild temperatures and the sun of Saturday.

Aspects: North, North East, West, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Mar 26th, 2023 3:00PM