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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 25th, 2022–Apr 28th, 2022

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

Regions

Northwest Inland.

This will be the last forecast for the season, covering conditions through to Thursday when we make the transition to Spring Conditions.

Assess slopes as you travel and expect highly variable snow conditions with elevation, aspect, and time of day. Enjoy the spring skiing!

Confidence

Low - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

MONDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy with periods of snowfall, up to 10 cm of accumulation in isolated areas. Freezing level lowering to 600 m. Light southwesterly winds.

TUESDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with light flurries. Freezing level rising to 1300 m in the afternoon. Light southerly winds.

WEDNESDAY: Partially cloudy. Freezing level rising to 1300 m in the afternoon. Light southwesterly winds. 

THURSDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Freezing level rising to 1300 m in the afternoon. Light to moderate northwesterly winds. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported in the past week.

Looking forward to this week, we suspect pockets of wind slabs will exist in lee areas in the alpine. Wet loose avalanches may occur on steep solar aspects during periods of warm temperatures and strong sun. Cornice falls will be most likely when the weather is sunny, warm, or windy.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20 cm of recent snowfall above 2000 m decreases rapidly with elevation. This new snow overlies a heavily wind-affected surface in exposed terrain, the product of an intense wind event early last week. Moist or crusty surfaces exist to at least 1800 m on all aspects, and to mountain top on solar aspects. The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong, with no weak layers of concern at this time.

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

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.

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.