Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
South Coast.
Storm snow is gaining strength, but you should remain wary of solar aspects where the new snow rests on a buried sun crust that may remain sensitive to human triggering.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Cloudy, light west wind, freezing level rising to around 800 m.TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1000 m.WEDNESDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level rising to around 1400 m.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanches have been reported.Check out this MCR report (here) that talks about the strong late winter sun initiating natural avalanches to size 2 on Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
The region picked up 20 to 40 cm of snow Wednesday and Thursday with moderate winds out of the east/southeast. This adds to the 50 to 70 cm that fell earlier in the week. All of this snow rests on previously wind-affected surfaces and a sun crust on southerly aspects.Cornices have formed on many alpine ridgelines. They will become touchier as they grow in size, as temperatures rise, and as they are subject to the strong late-winter sun on clear days.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.