Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Apr 7 – 8, 2015Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Sunshine are warmth are the primary drivers of avalanche hazard. Avoid large sun drenched slopes if the snow is getting moist or wet.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–4
    Wind slabs may still be lurking in exposed lee terrain and cross-loaded features. 

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Sunny skies and daytime warming could lead to loose wet surface sluffs and/or isolated cornice falls. 

Confidence

Poor - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Mainly sunny. The freezing level peaks near 1500-1700 m. Ridge winds are light to moderate from the S-SW. Thursday: Increasing cloud with light snow developing late. The freezing level is around 1500 m. Winds increase to strong or extreme from the S-SW. Friday: Light snow. The freezing level is near 1200 m and winds are strong from the south.

Avalanche Summary

Some loose wet sluffs on solar aspects have been reported in the afternoon. Cornices are getting large and ripe and could pop off with daytime warming.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50 cm of recent storm snow is sitting on a variety of old crusty surfaces. You may still find dry powder on higher north aspects, but any sun exposed slope will likely be in a melt-freeze cycle. In addition, recent winds have scoured windward slopes and loaded lee features. A crust with surface hoar buried on March 25th has been identified as a potential problem in parts of the forecast region, but appears to be unreactive at this time.At the base of the snowpack, especially in areas of shallow snow, weak facets may be found. Cornices are now large and potentially fragile, and solar aspects are becoming active in the late afternoons.

Regions covered