A change in the weather pattern is underway. Watch for rising freezing levels and strong solar radiation to increase avalanche danger.
Cornices could wake up with increasing temperatures and strong solar radiation. If cornices fail they can trigger deeper instabilities. If you need to travel below cornices move quickly and reduce your exposure.
Keep an eye out for rising temperatures and solar radiation
Forecasters are noting a slight increase in activity in the past few days. One could say the probability is increasing with either natural or human triggering. Shallow snowpack areas would have the increased potential for human triggering.
Tuesday: Sunny. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: High -2 C. Ridge wind light to 10 km/h. Freezing level: 2000 metres.
Wednesday: Sunny. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -5 C, High 2 C. Ridge wind light to 15 km/h. Freezing level: 2400 metres.
Light winds shifting to the north, new sun crust on solar asp to TL and temperature crust all aspects BTL below 1900m. Previous new snow now settled. March 19th crust is buried 10-50cm+ on solar aspects to 2200m. Mid-pack is firm and bridging a weak lower snowpack in deep areas. Weak snowpack particularly where shallow (exposed alpine features).
A few cornice failures in the Whistlers area were pulling deeper slabs on Monday. One noticeable large avalanche running to ground off the north face of Manx Peak. These are good reminders that large slab avalanches up to size 3 are still occurring within the bulletin region in the alpine.
