Freezing levels skyrocket to the moon on Thursday. Watch out for failing cornices and expect a widespread loose wet avalanche cycle on solar aspects in the alpine.
Problèmes avalancheux
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Likely - Very Likely
Taille
1–3
Wind slabs become more reactive when heated by the sun for the first time.
Cornices
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Likely - Very Likely
Taille
3–6
This time of year the strength of cornices deteriorates rapidly with solar radiation.
Loose Wet
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpin
Limite forestière
Sous la limite forestière
Probabilité
Very Likely
Taille
1–3
Changes can be rapid, sometimes significant change is possible in a matter of minutes, certainly within an hour or two.
No new avalanches were reported in this region on Tuesday. However, I expect to see widespread natural avalanche activity on Thursday when the recent storm snow is heated by solar radiation and soaring freezing levels.
Snowpack Summary
Large cornices overhang alpine slopes and may trigger large, destructive avalanches running to valley bottoms. Up to 20cm of recent storm snow with moderate northwesterly winds will have created wind slabs on lee aspects in the alpine and open treeline. These wind slabs will increase in sensitivity when they are warmed up for the first time by solar radiation and rising freezing levels. The late February surface hoar/ crust interface down 80 to 130 cm. is currently dormant, however, a rapid warm up could awaken this sleeping dragon. At low elevations, the snowpack is isothermal.