Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 28th, 2022–Apr 29th, 2022

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.

The snowpack changes dramatically from crusty travel in the valley bottom to full-on winter in the Alpine. Change your mindset with the changing conditions.

Weather Forecast

Unsettled weather and a gradual warming trend will be with us for the weekend.

Tonight: Cloud with clear periods, Alpine low -5*C, light SW ridgetop wind

Fri: Mix of sun/cloud, Alp high -3*C, Freezing level (FZL) 1900m, light SW wind

Sat: Sunny periods, Low -3*C, High -1*C, FZL 2100m, light SE wind

Sun: Sunny periods, Low -3*C, High 1*C, FZL 2200m

Snowpack Summary

There are 2 distinct snowpacks.

Below treeline the spring-time melt-freeze snowpack is solid in the am, then breaking down with daytime warming.

In the Alpine, a winter snowpack dominates, with up to 25cm of new snow atop various older surfaces (melt-freeze crust, wind slab, or dry powder on high, sheltered, N'ly slopes).

Cornices are huge.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, a field team observed a 24-48 hr old size 2 loose snow avalanche in the Ravens, and triggered a size 1 loose snow avalanche on a steep slope at treeline. There was also a size 3 cornice failure, in the Tractor Shed East highway path.

Crossover Gullies E and W, and Tractor Shed W, all spit out a sz 2 storm slab to half-path Tues.

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.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.