Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 17th, 2022 4:00PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is below threshold. Known problems include Cornices.

Avalanche Canada cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

All bluster and no muster! The forecast uptick in wind on Monday won't have much impact on danger without loose snow to transport.

Check out the newest forecaster blog if you are thinking of checking off big spring objectives.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light northeasterly winds, increasing into the morning.

MONDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Moderate to strong northeast winds. Treeline high temperatures around -9.

TUESDAY: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light east winds, easing over the day. Treeline high temperatures around -7.

WEDNESDAY: Mainly cloudy. Light south winds. Treeline high temperatures around -9.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported over the past few days. 

 

A size 3 cornice-triggered slab avalanche was observed near White Pass on Tuesday. This avalanche occurred on an east aspect in the alpine.

Several small human-triggered wind slabs (size 1) were reported during the outflow wind event on Monday and Tuesday.

Looking forward, forecast strong winds aren't expected to have sufficient transportable snow to create even a small wind slab problem on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

Very light new snow amounts have been accumulating over mainly hard, wind affected surfaces from recent strong northerly winds. Forecast elevated winds won't have much snow available to transport into new wind slabs on Monday.

On south and west facing slopes up to 1400 m a surface crust from spring sunshine can be found, while other aspects hold dry snow. The mid-snowpack is generally strong, overlying weak basal facets at the base of the snowpack. 

Check out this MIN report for an overview of current conditions in the Fraser area. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Cornices

An icon showing Cornices

Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers. They are a significant hazard alone, and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below. Cornice falls are more likely as temperatures warm each day, or when strong sunshine is present. 

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1.5 - 3

Valid until: Apr 18th, 2022 4:00PM