Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

SUNDAY: Early-morning snowfall then mostly sunny, accumulation 2 to 5 cm with possible localized higher amounts from convective flurries, light northeasterly winds, alpine temperature -9 C, freezing level 600 m.MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with afternoon snowfall, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, light southerly winds, alpine temperature -9 C, freezing level 600 m.TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy with early-morning snowfall, accumulation 5 to 10 cm, light southwesterly winds, alpine temperature -10 C, freezing level 500 m.

On Friday, a natural cycle within the recent storm snow occurred, failing as storm slabs and loose dry avalanches. They were small to large (size 1 to 2), on all aspects, and at all elevations. See this MIN report to observe some of the avalanches.Previously in the week, large persistent slab avalanches were reported at all elevation bands, on east to northeast aspects. These were failing on the early- and mid-March layers described in the Snowpack Discussion.

Thursday’s storm dumped 30 to 40 cm of snow in the south of the region, such as around Terrace and Shames.  There is now about 70 to 90 cm of storm snow that overlies two layers of surface hoar, which were buried early- and mid-March. At low elevations, the storm snow sits on a melt-freeze crust.Dormant weak layers exist deeper in the snowpack.  Layers of crusts, facets, and isolated surface hoar from mid- and late-February are buried 100 to 150 cm.  Near the bottom of the snowpack, weak and sugary facets exist in shallower parts of the region, such as the far north.