Avalanche Forecast
Cariboos
Stick to small supported terrain features and give the storm snow time to heal. Be extra suspect of wind-loaded slopes.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep planar south-facing slopes
- Choose well supported terrain without convexities.
- Avoid freshly wind loaded features.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, a natural size 2.5 storm slab avalanche was reported west of Valemount on a northwest aspect at 2400 m.
On Thursday, a few size 2 natural storm slab avalanches were reported on north and east aspects. A cornice fall triggered a large slab avalanche with a 100 cm crown on a north aspect at 2600 m. A skier also remotely triggered a size 1 wind slab on a southeast aspect at 1900 m.
These avalanches follow a widespread natural avalanche cycle that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday. Storm slabs in the size 2-3 range were reported on all aspects between 1700 and 2500 m. Southerly aspects were the most reactive with numerous large and very large (size 2.5-3.5) avalanches running on a recently buried sun crust.
Snowpack Summary
Another 20-30 cm of snow on Friday brings last week's total to 60-100 cm. Storm snow was accompanied with strong west wind, forming reactive slabs at higher elevations.
The storm snow sits on an interface buried in late-March that consist of crusts at low elevations and on south aspects, and surface hoar on shaded aspects at higher elevations.
Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators, but are generally considered dormant.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Flurries with 5-15 cm of new snow, light wind, freezing level up to 700 m, and alpine high temperatures near -8 C.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with light wind, freezing level up to 600 m, and alpine high temperatures near -10 C.
TUESDAY: Moslty cloudy with scattered flurried (2-4 cm of snow), moderate southwest wind, freezing level up to 1000 m, and alpine high temperatures near -6 C.
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- Cariboos URL:
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Human-triggered storm slabs remain a concern on wind-affected features and on south aspects where they sit above buried sun crusts.