Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Mar 30th, 2021 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs, Loose Wet and Cornices.
Ian Jackson,
Warm temperatures are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. The effects will be strongest on steep, rocky solar terrain. Start and finish your trips early if you plan to be in this type of terrain
Summary
Weather Forecast
A ridge will keep skies clear on Wed. Temps will be warm with ~ 2000m freezing levels, but alpine winds will be strong. The sun's affect will be strongest on steep solar, rocky aspects and the warming looks most significant in the front ranges east of the divide. Thurs looks similar but with skies clouding over and snow starting in the afternoon.
Snowpack Summary
15-35cm of snow fell on Sunday night, with the most around Sunshine and Bow Summit. Wind slabs exist in alpine and exposed treeline areas from strong winds during the storm. The March 19 interface of crust on solar aspects and facets on north aspects is below this, now down 20-50 cm. Basal facets exist in shallow areas east of the divide.
Avalanche Summary
Good visibility into the alpine today revealed evidence of the avalanche cycle that occurred with Sunday nights storm. Themes seemed to be alpine and treeline features failing as windslabs up to size 2.5. There was a third hand report of a small, potentially skier triggered windslab in the Bow Summit area today, but no other details were obtained.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs exist in alpine and exposed treeline areas from variable strong winds and 15 to 35cm of new snow. Use caution in any steep or loaded terrain until you have a sense for how reactive the new snow is.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially in steep confined alpine terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Sun and warm temperatures will cause the recent snow to slide. The warming will be most significant in low elevation steep, rocky, solar terrain in the front ranges east of the divide. Alpine winds will help to cool temperatures
- Avoid ice climbs that are exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects.
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Treeline, Below Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Cornices
Cornices are big and the springtime is when they fall off more frequently. Recent wind combined with the forecasted warmup may make them more likely to fall. Don't be nearby when they do!
- Minimize exposure to overhead hazard from cornices.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating, so travel early on exposed slopes.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 31st, 2021 4:00PM
