Avalanche forecast

Purcells

Apr 15 – 16, 2019Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 7 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Isolated wind slabs may still be found up high. Continue to assess the surface snow and expect loose wet activity under sunny skies.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5
    Recent snow has been redistributed by southwest wind in exposed alpine areas. The most suspect slopes are terrain features immediately adjacent to ridges.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5
    The snow surface will weaken rapidly when clear skies prevail and the day heats up. The heat will quickly increasing the likelihood of triggering loose wet avalanches, particularly on sun-exposed slopes.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

MONDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, light southwest wind, alpine temperature -6 C, freezing level 1500 m.TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, light to moderate west wind, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level 1800 m.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, light to moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level 2000 m.THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, light southwest wind, alpine temperature 0 C, freezing level 2400 m.

Avalanche Summary

A few small to large (size 1 to 2) storm slab avalanches were reported on Sunday. They were in alpine terrain, around 30 cm deep, and on north to west aspects. Otherwise, the recent loose storm snow was reactive to skier traffic on steep, southerly aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Around 10 cm of recent snow has remained dry in northerly alpine terrain and may overly isolated pockets of weak surface hoar crystals. All other aspects and elevation bands will have either wet surface snow or a melt-freeze crust due to an increasing freezing level and heat from the sun. Weak and sugary faceted grains remain at the bottom of the snowpack in the alpine. This layer creates a low likelihood but high consequence scenario. Steep, rocky areas with a shallow snowpack are the most likely places to trigger this layer.

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