Stay away from slopes when surface snow becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures and solar input.
Wind slabs are still present and could be triggered by the passage of a skier. Be particularly careful on convexities and in areas where snow has accumulated and has slab-like properties.
If temperatures warm up enough on Saturday and the sun shines, the snow on the surface could become moist. It would then become more unstable and could easily slide over the crust buried near the surface.
A mountain inversion is forecast for Saturday afternoon, so the problem could also be present in the alpine.
No new avalanches observed or reported.
If you are out in the backcountry, please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
A new surface crust has developed on sunny slopes. In areas sheltered from the wind, there is between 5 and 30 cm of new snow on top of a refreezing crust.
As a general rule, west- and north-facing slopes, both in the alpine and at treeline, are bare or crust-covered. Snowpack thickness varies between 100 cm and 200 cm.
WEATHER FOR THE CRESTS AND SUMMITS OF CHIC-CHOCS
A fine spring day is forecast for Saturday, followed by a significant thaw on Sunday.
Friday evening and night: Cloudy. Accumulation of 2 to 4 cm. Wind west 20 to 40 km/h becoming light. Low -11.
Saturday: Alternating sun and cloud midday. Wind southwest, 20 to 40 km/h. High 0. Inversion in the afternoon.
Sunday: Cloudy. Wind 30 to 50 km/h from the south. High +8. Rain beginning late in the day and continuing until Monday morning. Freezing level at 3500 m.
Monday: Cloudy. Wind 15 to 40 km/h from the southwest. High +8. Freezing level at 2500 m.
For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.
