Date issued

Mar 20, 2018 - 4:05 PM

Valid until

Mar 21, 2018 - 4:00 PM

Prepared by

rupert wedgwood

Be mindful of solar radiation, even on partly cloudy days.

Regular season
Tuesday - March 20, 2018
Alpine

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Wednesday - March 21, 2018
Alpine

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Thursday - March 22, 2018
Alpine

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation,cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible;human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation,cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible;human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation,cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible;human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

Windslabs sit on a hard melt-freeze crust on solar aspects, and facets on polar aspects. Shaded slopes have been more reactive. Assess the bond at these interfaces carefully before committing to avalanche start zones.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Best conditions on sheltered northerly aspects.

Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

Watch for snowpack to become reactive if the sun comes out.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Avoid ice climbs exposed to steep rocky terrain on solar aspects during the middle of the day.

Avalanche Summary

Road patrol Tuesday noted loose wet avalanches to size one below treeline. An isolated loose, dry avalanche that ran size 2 was observed from steep terrain at 2400m on a shaded aspect near Parker Ridge and a field team triggered a size 1.5 windslab avalanche on moderate terrain on Mt. Kitchener at 3100m (60m wide, 60m long, 20-40cm deep crown).

Snowpack Summary

10-15cm of dense snow with moderate winds this week has created windslabs in lee features treeline and above. These windslabs are reactive on cooler, shaded aspects where they formed on a faceted surface. Loose wet slides are occurring below treeline in the late afternoon (particularly with direct sun) due to an increasingly isothermal snowpack.

Weather Forecast

Chance of an upslope storm on Thur evening with warmer temps and winds from the SE. Tonight freezing level to valley bottom. Wednesday cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Freezing level: 1800 m. Alpine high -1 C. Ridge wind south: 10-25 km/h. Warmer on Thursday with up to up to 10cm overnight and into Friday.

Danger Ratings Explained

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

4 - High

Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended.

Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely.

Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas.

5 - Extreme

Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain.

Large to very large avalanches in many areas.

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