Avalanche Forecast
South Coast Inland
Warming and solar radiation will drive the avalanche danger in the coming days. Watch for conditions that change throughout the day, and be cautious of overhead hazards.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating and sun exposure. Be aware of overhead hazard.
- Avoid steep slopes when air temperatures are warm, or solar radiation is strong.
- Use extra caution on slopes if the snow is moist or wet.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Professionals are traveling cautiously in shaded upper treeline and alpine terrain due to a weak layer buried 50 to 100 cm below the surface. Forecast warming and cornice failures will likely re-activate this destructive interface in isolated terrain
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices, which could trigger persistent slabs.
- Be aware of the potential for wide propagation due to the presence of buried weak layers.
- Avoid steep convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
Avalanche Problem 3: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
New snow and strong winds from Friday night have formed new wind slabs in upper elevation lee terrain. Although they're likely to gain strength quickly, I'd remain cautious around ridge crests and in gullies.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Stay off recent wind loaded areas until the slope has had a chance to stabilize.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported at the time of publishing this bulletin, although I'm sure there was a round of wind slab activity on Saturday in response to new snow and strong winds. Loose wet avalanches and cornice falls are expected to become problematic with warming and solar radiation forecast for Sunday and Monday. Warming also has the potential to wake-up the late March crust interface with the possibility of surprisingly large and destructive avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
New snow and wind from Friday night have formed fresh wind slabs in upper elevation lee terrain. The new snow overlies settled storm snow on shaded aspects above 2000m and a melt-freeze crust in most other areas.
A weak layer consisting of surface hoar, facets, and/or a melt-freeze crust from late March is now buried about 50 to 100 cm below the surface. This layer is spotty in its distribution; however, it has recently produced large and destructive avalanches. It is mostly likely to be problematic on west, north, and east aspects between 1900 m and 2250 m. I'd continue to treat this layer very cautiously and would anticipate increase reactivity at this interface with warming forecast for the next few days.
The mid and lower snowpack are well-settled and strong.
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure will develop for the forecast period bringing sunny skies and light ridgetop winds. The freezing level will hover around 2800m on Monday and then rise to about 3400m for Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Warming and solar radiation are expected to trigger loose wet avalanches, especially in steep, sun-exposed terrain. Loose wet avalanches can be pushy and entrain mass quickly. Warming may also trigger destructive cornice failures.