Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Mar 29 – 30, 2015Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Very strong winds are expected that will rapidly set up wind slabs in many areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Winds are expected to be strong to extreme on Monday from the southwest. Combine this with around 10 cm new snow, and touchy wind slabs could develop very rapidly on a variety of lee and cross-loaded slopes in exposed areas.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Monday: Around 10 cm new snow expected. Freezing levels around 1500 m. Ridgetop winds gusting to 80 km/h from the southwest. Tuesday and Wednesday: 1-2 cm new snow expected each day. Freezing levels around 1000 m. Winds diminishing in intensity and blowing from the west.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanche reports.

Snowpack Summary

Approximately 20 cm of dense storm snow overlies a variety of crusty old surfaces. Weaknesses buried in the upper snowpack may include hard crusts and/or facet crystals, although not much is known about the reactivity or spatial distribution of these layers. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found. Cornices are large and potentially fragile. Unpredictable, full-depth glide avalanches are also a concern on low elevation slopes with smooth ground cover (grassy slopes, rock slabs, etc.) where large cracks have formed from the snowpack slipping on the ground.

Regions covered