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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 2nd, 2022–Apr 3rd, 2022

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

Regions

South Rockies.

Watch for the formation of thin wind slabs, especially near ridgecrest and remember that even brief periods of sunshine may initiate loose wet avalanche activity in the bit of snow that fell Saturday.

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast precipitation (either snow or rain) amounts are uncertain.

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY NIGHT: No significant precipitation expected, light west/southwest wind, freezing level near valley bottom.

SUNDAY: A few clouds at dawn building to overcast by lunch, a few cm of snow possible during the day, moderate southwest wind, freezing level around 1700 m. 2 to 10 cm expected Sunday night.

MONDAY: Overcast, 1 to 5 cm of snow possible, strong southwest wind, freezing level around 1700 m. Another 1 to 3 cm possible Monday night.

TUESDAY: Broken cloud cover, no significant precipitation expected, moderate west wind, freezing level around 1500 m.

Avalanche Summary

A bit of new snow and wind Saturday may form some thin new wind slabs that rest on a slippery crust.

No new avalanches have been reported since Tuesday, when natural wet avalanches were reported on steep sun affected slopes to size 1. 

Snowpack Summary

The region picked up a bit of new snow Saturday, by day's end Castle was showing almost 10 cm on their storm board which is coming in with a bit of southwest wind.

Previous to this, snow conditions were getting a little desperate as evidenced in this MIN report from our field team. The upper snowpack is going through a daily melt-freeze cycle. A crust exists on all aspects to around 2500 m and likely to mountain top on sun affected slopes. Warm temperatures and sun are softening or breaking down the crust during the day and creating moist snow. At very low elevations, the snowpack may be wet and isothermal, depending on overnight freezing levels.

Below 1700 m, the snowpack has been reported as being moist to ground, and is becoming isothermal.

Terrain and Travel

  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.

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.

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.