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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2022–Apr 24th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Columbia.

Back off slopes if the surface is moist and limit exposure to slopes with cornices above.

Confidence

Moderate - The snowpack structure is generally well understood.

Weather Forecast

Saturday night: No new snow expected. Possibility of above freezing layer at treeline. Light southwest winds.

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with no new snow expected. Light to moderate south winds and freezing levels around 2300 m.

Monday: Cloudy with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow at higher elevations. Moderate south winds and freezing levels rising to 2300 m.

Tuesday: cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow expected at higher elevations. Light to moderate southwest winds and freezing levels around 1800 m.

Avalanche Summary

Natural wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 have been observed on all aspects and elevations except high north facing terrain. We suspect that this kind of avalanche activity will continue due to warm temps and solar input.

Snowpack Summary

Dry snow and pockets of wind slab can still be found on high north facing terrain. Several crusts exist on solar aspects extending to mountain tops. Moist snow will likely be observed on solar aspects and at lower elevations.

Cornices are very large and exposure to slopes beneath them should be minimized, especially if the weather is sunny, warm, or windy. The snowpack deteriorates rapidly at lower elevations.

Terrain and Travel

  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Avoid sun exposed slopes, especially if snow surface is moist or wet.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.

Problems

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.