Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Apr 1st, 2017 4:20PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Storm Slabs and Cornices.

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Avalanche danger is trending down after the recent warm and stormy weather. Some storm slabs at the higher elevations may continue to be reactive to human triggers.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Overnight: Freezing levels down to 1300 metres by morning, with moderate northwest winds and the chance of a few flurries. Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud with light westerly winds and some convective flurries during the day and 5-8 cm in the evening. Monday: Re-freeze down to near valley bottoms, followed by light winds and cloudy skies with a chance of convective flurries. Tuesday: Good freeze followed by clear skies and light winds.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported on Saturday. Numerous storm slab avalanches up to size 2.5 reported from explosives control on Friday, as well as loose wet avalanches released by ski cuts up to size 1.5. Numerous storm slab and loose wet avalanches were reported from the Fernie area on Thursday. One natural cornice fall was size 3.0, and pulled a storm slab from the slope below. There is concern for storm slabs to continue to be reactive to human triggering if there is little or no re-freeze before another warm day on Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of new snow is sitting on the newly developed March 31st melt-freeze crust. This crust has been reported to be knife hard  and 5cm thick at higher elevations, tapering down to pencil hard and 3cm thick at 1200 metres. The earlier March crust is now down 40-100 cm. The December facets and November rain crust are buried deep, but they did not become reactive during the latest period of warm weather, rain, and strong solar radiation.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
Recent storm slabs may continue to be reactive to human triggering. This is most likely in shaded alpine areas where the snow may be drier.
Be wary of slopes that did not previously avalanche.Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Cornices

An icon showing Cornices
Cornices are large and may fall off naturally during periods of sun or from daytime warming.
Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Apr 2nd, 2017 2:00PM