Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Apr 5th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs, Cornices and Loose Wet.
rbuhler,
Avalanche Canada
This forecast has been produced with very few recent observations. It will be important to continually assess your local conditions throughout the day.
The recent storm snow is expected to remain reactive to human triggering, especially in wind-loaded terrain.
Summary
Confidence
Low - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations. Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure brings sunny conditions for Wednesday morning but cloud from a storm system impacting the north coast is expected to spill into the region by the afternoon.Â
Tuesday Night: Mainly clear, light variable wind, freezing level low around 800 m.Â
Wednesday: Mainly sunny with increasing cloud cover in the afternoon, light to moderate SW wind, freezing level high around 1700 m.
Thursday: Mainly cloudy with sunny breaks in the afternoon, moderate SW wind, freezing level high around 2500 m.
Thursday night and Friday: Precipitation 25-40 mm, sunny breaks in the afternoon, moderate to strong SW wind, freezing level falling to around 1200 m.Â
Avalanche Summary
On Monday, some natural storm slab avalanches were observed which had occurred Sunday overnight and had crowns up to 50 cm thick but only limited propagation. Explosives also triggered a few small storm slabs which were typically around 30 cm thick. This MIN report from the Cypress area describes ski cutting with no results suggesting the recent storm snow is stabilizing quickly.Â
On Sunday morning, ski cutting was triggering touchy size 1 storm slabs above 1100 m elevation and stubborn size 1 wet loose avalanches below 1100 m elevation. This MIN post and this MIN post from Sunday both describe touchy conditions including several small natural slab avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
The recent storm appears to have produced around 40-50 cm of new snow for the North Shore mountains and 70-90 cm closer to Squamish. This storm snow has buried a widespread, supportive melt-freeze crust. Strong southwest wind has likely redistributed this new snow in exposed, high-elevation terrain forming touchy wind slabs. This MIN post describes a new surface crust in the North Shore mountains which may be reducing the avalanche hazard in that area but observations have been very limited and the mountains around Squamish may have a snowpack more similar to the Sea-to-Sky region.Â
The middle and lower snowpack are generally strong and well bonded.
Terrain and Travel
- Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
- Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
- Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Problems
Storm Slabs
The recent storm snow is expected to remain reactive to human-triggering on Wednesday, especially in wind exposed terrain and on steep, convex or unsupported terrain features.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices are expected to have grown large during the recent storm and may be fragile on Wednesday, especially with extended exposure to the sun. Falling cornices are a likely trigger for slab avalanches on the slopes below.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Loose wet avalanches should be expected from steep, sun-exposed slopes during extended periods of sun exposure.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Apr 6th, 2022 4:00PM
