Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday

SATURDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries / Moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -2 / Freezing level 1600mSUNDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light to moderate northwest wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level 1200mMONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light north wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level 1200m

Reports on Thursday indicate several natural avalanches running during a warming event to size 2.5 and 3. These were triggered on the March 21 melt freeze crust by cornice falls and a skier triggering a smaller avalanche that subsequently stepped down to the crust. They were running on northerly aspects in the alpine and tree line elevation bands. One report from Wednesday detailed a size 2 remotely triggered avalanche running on the same crust. This ran on an east aspect at 1900m and was 50cm deep.

A series of snowfalls throughout the past week accumulated roughly 60-90 cm of moist new snow in the region. Periodic high freezing levels and solar exposure over the same period has formed a variety crusts within and/or on the surface of the storm snow up to 2000m. This all overlies a rain crust that was buried on March 21 up into the alpine. This crust is reported to be recently reactive to heavy loads. At upper elevations, above 2100m approximately, the late and mid-February persistent weak layers (100-150cm down) and basal facets in shallow snowpack areas may still exist. There is no recent information on the presence or reactivity of these persistent layers. For this reason it would be prudent to investigate their presence if traveling in the highest alpine areas of the region.