Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Mar 27 – 28, 2012Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 15 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    New windslabs are growing at ridgecrest over the slick melt freeze crust. Some thin windslabs formed in unusual places from downflow winds associated with the warm temperatures on the weekend; these will now be disguised by the new snow.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–6
    Cornices are very large and may become more fragile with the increased load and wind.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Expect flurries to build, with freezing levels reaching 1200m in the afternoon. We could see up to 20cm of new snow with southerly winds up to 50km/h. Thursday / Friday: Continued stormy conditions, with moderate and at times heavy precipitation. Freezing levels should reach 1000m each afternoon with continued moderate to strong southerly winds.

Avalanche Summary

Recent avalanche activity includes loose moist sluffs to size 2.0 from daytime warming as well as isolated natural cornice releases to size 2.0. Thin windslabs up to size 1.5 have also been seen.

Snowpack Summary

The recent warm, clear weather has left us with an aggressive melt freeze crust on solar aspects well into the alpine while shady, dead north slopes have grown some small surface hoar and remain powdery. Minor accumulations of new snow now overlie these surfaces. Increasing southerly winds are beginning to build new windslabs in lee locations at ridgecrest. Cornices loom in the alpine and continue to grow under the current conditions. The vast amount of recent storm snow continues to settle and bond while deeper in the snowpack the persistent weakness from mid February remain a lingering concern due to continued sudden planar test results.

Regions covered