Avalanche Forecast

Moderate -

Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Strong southwest winds. Freezing level to 1400 metres with alpine high temperatures around -6.Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud with increasing cloud and flurries beginning in the afternoon. Strong to extreme west winds. Freezing level to 1900 metres after a poor overnight refreeze. Alpine high temperatures around -1.Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud with continuingflurries and a trace to 5 cm of new snow. Moderate northwest winds. Freezing level to 1600 metres with alpine high temperatures around -5.

Reports from Saturday in the Castle area showed a couple of storm slabs that released to size 1.5 and 2. The smaller avalanche occurred naturally while the size 2 was explosives-triggered.

Up to 35 cm of new snow fell over the region over the past few days. This new snow was initially redistributed by strong easterly winds in the beginning of the storm before winds switched to the southwest. As a result, and with southwest winds forecast to increase again, wind slabs are now likely to be found on a variety of aspects. The recent snow will take some time to form a reliable bond to the old snow surface, which consist of crusts up to 2100 metres and dry snow or surface hoar on north aspects above 2100 m. Recent snowpack testing on the March 15th surface hoar interface (down 20-40 cm on sheltered north aspects) has shown no significant results in the Barnes area. Below this interface the mid-pack is is well consolidated. Deeper in the snowpack (50-80 cm down) a surface hoar buried in mid-February may exist. This interface is considered dormant. Digging towards the bottom of the snowpack you'll find a combination of crusts and facets that are reportedly widespread.