Avalanche forecast

Cariboos

Apr 21 – 22, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

The Public Avalanche Forecasts will come to an end on Monday. Starting Tuesday you can find spring messaging under the "Forecast Details" tab below.See you next season!

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Large, looming cornices exist on ridgelines and will likely become weak with daytime warming. They threaten slopes below. Keep your distance from them. New snow and moderate winds have built wind slabs on lee slopes and behind terrain features.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–6
    A weak interface is buried about a metre down. A smaller avalanche stepping down, cornice fall, the weight under a snowmobile, or the weight of a person from a thin-spot trigger point could trigger a large and destructive avalanche.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Loose wet avalanche activity is likely with rising freezing levels and clear sunny skies. Conditions can change quickly with timing, aspect and elevation.

Confidence

Fair - Due to limited field observations

Weather Forecast

An upper ridge stalls off the coast bringing sunny skies and dry cool conditions through Tuesday. By mid-week freezing levels will rise to 2000 m.Monday: Mostly sunny skies. Ridgetop winds will blow light from the NW and freezing levels will rise to 1800 m. Tuesday: Broken cloud cover and a chance of flurries. Ridgetop winds moderate from the NW and freezing levels 1800 m. Wednesday: The stationary ridge of high pressure continues bringing sunny skies and freezing levels up to 2000 m. Ridgetop winds will blow light from the SW.

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday a size 2.5 cornice fall occurred and did not trigger a slab on the slope below. With rising freezing levels and sunny skies conditions can change quickly and avalanche danger will rise.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 15 cm of new snow sits on a variety of old surfaces and generally seems to be bonding. Wind slabs have built on lee slopes and behind terrain features. Cornices are huge and remain a concern, especially with daytime warming which will weaken them. Surface snow will likely become  wet and deteriorate on solar aspects.Buried 60-100 cm down, exists an interface of crusts and buried surface hoar. This is mainly found at upper elevations on all aspects. It seems to be gaining strength but I would remain suspicious, especially of large, steep high-alpine slopes. Dig down, and test layer of concern.

Regions covered