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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 4th, 2023–Mar 5th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Chic-Choc Mountains, Littoral, Murdochville.

Wind slabs are present and continue to develop. They are found in particular at the top of eastern slopes (NE-E-SE) in the alpine. An avalanche was triggered on a wind slab at the end of the afternoon on Saturday at the Mur des Patrouilleurs of Mont Albert. Even small, their triggering could have serious consequences as a result of an uncontrolled slide on the ice and towards obstacles lower on the slope.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A slab avalanche was accidentally triggered by a skier at the top of the Mur des Patrouilleurs of Mont Albert late Saturday afternoon. People have been involved and evacuated but few details are available at this time.

Thanks for contributing to the collection of this valuable data by sharing with other users on the Mountain Information Network or by writing to us directly at [email protected].

Snowpack Summary

Near the summits, the wind has redistributed the available snow, exposing the crust or ice at the surface and creating an overlay of variable hardness wind slabs. In more sheltered areas, the February 17 crust is usually found under 15 to 30 cm of low density snow. Facetted grains are slowly developing on this crust. The middle of the snowpack is well consolidated, with the January 18 crust down 40 to 70 cm below the surface. At the base of the snowpack, there is a bread of laminated crusts with decomposing snow.

In general, the height of the snow cover varies from 70 to 90 cm in the valley to 100 to 150 cm in the middle mountains.

Weather Summary

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Synopsis: A ridge of high pressure maintains a mix of sun and cloud for Sunday before the arrival of a storm from offshore Newfoundland that will bring snow overnight and into Monday.

Saturday evening and night: A few clouds, no precipitation, northwesterly winds 40 to 60 km/h, minimum -15 C.

Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds, becoming cloudy late in the afternoon, no precipitation, northwesterly winds 40 to 60 km/h, maximum -7 C.

Monday: Snow, 15-25 cm, northeasterly winds 40 to 60 km/h, maximum -5 C.

Tuesday: Periods of snow, 3-5 cm, northeasterly winds 30 to 40 km/h, maximum -5 C.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.