Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Apr 11th, 2014–Apr 12th, 2014

Alpine

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low

Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Alpine

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low

Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Alpine

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Regions: Kootenay Boundary.

Check out the forecaster's blog for more info on how to deal with spring avalanche conditions.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Tonight and Saturday: A trace to a few cm of precipitation is expected overnight and tomorrow. Freezing levels should drop tonight and rise back to about 1500 m tomorrow.Sunday: Expect sunny skies, freezing levels rising to 2000 m by the afternoon and light winds. Monday: Similar conditions are expected with even warmer temperatures and higher freezing levels and possibly no overnight freeze.

Avalanche Summary

No recent new avalanches reported.

Snowpack Summary

The forecasted trace to light precipitation should fall over a melt-freeze crust in the alpine or on a moist surface at lower elevations. Pronounced warming in the upper snowpack at all elevations has made the top 50 cm or more of the snowpack moist. Subsequent cooler temperatures have re-frozen the surface at higher elevations, although solar aspects at all elevations continue to undergo daily melt-freeze cycles. Several older melt-freeze crusts in the upper 40 cm are breaking down, although deeper crusts are reported to still be hard. The late January/early February persistent weak layer is deeply buried, but has not produced avalanches in this region for some time now.

Avalanche Problems

Loose Wet

The forecasted trace to light snow accumulations and above freezing temperatures below 1500 m could create loose wet avalanches under this elevation or dry loose avalanches in the alpine.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. >

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 3