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Avalanche Forecast

Mar 24th, 2012–Mar 25th, 2012
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Sea To Sky.

Be aware of strong solar radiation destabilizing the surface snow when the sun pokes out.

Confidence

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Expect a dry day, with clouds building late in the day. Winds remain light southerly with freezing levels reaching 1800m. Monday: Mixed skies should give way to mostly cloudy conditions and a chance of flurries later in the day and freezing levels reaching 1500m. Winds continue southerly and remain light. Tuesday: Continued light precipitation overnight as freezing levels climb to 1400m. Winds increase to strong southerlies by the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

Recent avalanche activity includes loose moist sluffs to size 2.0 from daytime warming as well as one size 2.0 natural slab on a northeast aspect at 1700m.

Snowpack Summary

The warm temperatures have brought us into a spring melt freeze cycle with the surface snow softening with daytime warming on solar aspects then crusting overnight as temperatures dip back below freezing. Cornices loom in the alpine and old windslabs linger on lee aspects in the alpine and open treeline. The vast amount of recent storm snow continues to settle and bond while deeper in the snowpack the persistent weakness from mid February remains a concern due to continued sudden planar test results.

Avalanche Problems

Loose Wet

Loose wet avalanches are likely on steep sun-exposed slopes during the day. There is potential for these heavy wet slides to step down to deeper weaknesses and create a large slab avalanche.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 4

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs lurk below ridges, behind terrain features and in gullies. They may be buried by new snow, making them hard to spot.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 4

Cornices

Cornices are very large and may become more fragile with daytime warming

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 6