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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2021–Apr 22nd, 2021

Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Below Threshold.
Treeline
Below Threshold.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Glacier.

With a solid, overnight refreeze, travel conditions are as good as they can be for big, fast days.

Get up early, get back early, and ensure the permit area is open if you are entering one!

Weather Forecast

High cloud moving in this afternoon, then minor rain/snowfall Thurs/Fri and a stronger, wetter system Sat/Sun.

Today: Sunny with increasing late afternoon cloud. FZL 2200m. Ridge winds W, 15-35km/h

Thurs: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. FZL 1300m. Ridge winds NE 10-20km/h

Fri: Cloudy with sunny periods. FZL 1400m. Ridge winds SW 10-25km/h

Snowpack Summary

A solid melt/freeze crust covers the landscape except high (>2400m) N aspects, where one can find loose, dry snow. These hard surfaces will break down with the strong April sun beating down on them, especially at lower elevations. The April 7th layer is down 20-40cm depending on aspect and elevation, and the March 18th crust is down 60-100cm.

Avalanche Summary

A natural sz 3 slab was triggered by a cornice failure at the top of the Ross Pk path yesterday. Minor loose, dry sluffing was observed from skiers on the N Face of Swiss Peak to sz 1.

Confidence

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.