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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 24th, 2022–Apr 25th, 2022

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

Regions

South Rockies.

Warm temperatures overnight may prevent a good re-freeze. Check for 'crust recovery' and be off slopes before they turn mushy or wet.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear with incoming cloud cover, Increasing 15-35 km/h west wind, alpine low temperature-2 C. Poor overnight re-freeze expected with freezing level hovering above 2200 m.

MONDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks, southwest wind gusting to 50 km/h, alpine high temperature +6 C.

TUESDAY: Wet flurries, 5-10 cm. West wind gusting to 30-50 km/h, alpine high temperature +2 C, freezing level rising slowly falling to 2000 m.

WEDNESDAY: Scattered flurries, 5-15 cm. West wind gusting to 60 km/h, alpine high temperature 0 C, daytime freezing level rising above 1900 m.

Avalanche Summary

We have not received reports of avalanche observations in the past few days.

Please consider posting your observations to the Mountain Information Network to supplement our data stream and help fellow recreationists.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack has transitioned to spring-time conditions, with overnight crusts transitioning to moist snow during the day, and isolated and lingering winter-ish conditions at the highest shaded elevations; in these areas use caution entering steep, lee terrain features below ridges, where wind slabs could be lingering. At ridge top, remember that cornices are large and looming.

Keep in mind that any snowpack can quickly loose strength when heat penetrates to deeper layers for the first time. Check for good overnight recovery - avoid slopes that do not get an overnight re-freeze.

Terrain and Travel

  • Cornices often break further back than expected; give them a wide berth when traveling on ridgetops.
  • Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

Problems

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.

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.