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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 29th, 2024–Mar 30th, 2024

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

Regions

Long Range Mountains, Corner Brook, Gros Morne, Northern Peninsula.

Avalanche hazard exists in areas with a surviving snowpack, like alpine bowls, gullies and ridgelines. Danger will decrease as cooling temperatures refreeze the rain-soaked snowpack.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Early in the week, a natural avalanche cycle was reported on north to east aspects in the alpine. Slabs were up to size 2.5 with crowns up to 100 cm deep, sliding on a crust layer. Thank you for the amazing MIN reports! Check out the photos on this one!

We suspect a subsequent wet avalanche cycle to have occurred during the rain later in the week as well.

Snowpack Summary

A rain-soaked snowpack will begin to refreeze on Saturday as temperatures cool rapidly. Rain has washed away the snowpack in many areas. Areas where the snowpack is most likely to have survived include previously wind-loaded leeward terrain features such as alpine bowls, gullies and ridgelines. These are also the types of features where large cornices loom above.

Weather Summary

Friday night

Rain tapering, 5 to 10 mm. Ridgetop wind 60 to 80 km/h south. Alpine temperature +8 C. 

Saturday

A mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop wind 60 to 80 km/h south. Alpine temperature dropping from +6 C to +1 C as freezing level drops from 3000 m to 500 m.

Sunday

Cloudy. Ridgetop wind 10 to 20 km/h southeast. Alpine temperature 0 C. Freezing level 300 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop wind 10 to 30 km/h east. Alpine temperature -1 C. Freezing level 200 m.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop wind 20 to 40 km/h northeast. Alpine temperature -1 C. Freezing level 200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid travelling on slopes below cornices.
  • Winter conditions may exist in gullies, alpine bowls, and around ridgelines.
  • Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially when the snow is moist or wet.

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.