Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Fresh snow from the past week is capable of producing large avalanches, especially on wind-loaded terrain features.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded and cross-loaded slopes, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Choose well supported terrain without convexities.
- Minimize exposure to steep planar south-facing slopes
Avalanche Summary
Friday's storm caused a natural avalanche cycle with numerous size 1-2 avalanches in the top 20-30 cm of new snow. Storm slabs were also reactive to skiers, producing several size 1 avalanches on small terrain features on various aspects.
Storm slabs avalanches have been reported on a regular basis since Tuesday's storm. Natural avalanches up to size 3 were reported from Tuesday's storm on all aspects from 1900-2800 m. South and west aspects were the most reactive with slabs running on the recently buried late-March crust. In the days following the storm, several size 2 skier and remotely (from a distance) triggered storm slab avalanches were reported. On Wednesday, most human-triggered avalanches were on south and west aspects in the alpine, while activity on Thursday was mostly on east aspects at treeline. Skier triggered slabs were mostly 30-50 cm thick and ran on the late-March layer.
Snowpack Summary
Another 20-30 cm of snow on Friday brings the weekly total throughout the region to 40-80 cm. Strong west winds have redistributed the snow in alpine and treeline terrain.
The storm snow sits on an interface buried in late-March that consist of crusts below 1900 m and on south aspects, and surface hoar on shaded aspects at higher elevations.
A deeper layer buried mid-March is now 60 to 90 cm below the surface, and is similar to the late-March interface.
Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are still being reported by professional observers, but are generally considered dormant.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Flurries intensifying throughout the day with 5-10 cm of snow by the afternoon and then another 5-10 in the evening, moderate southwest wind, freezing level up to 1000 m, and alpine high temperatures near -6 C.
MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with light wind, freezing level up to 800 m, and alpine high temperatures near -8 C.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, light wind, freezing level up to 1200 m, and alpine high temperatures near -5 C.
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Human-triggered storm slabs remain a concern in many areas. Wind-affected features on north and east aspects are suspect, as are steep south aspects where storm slabs may sit above buried sun crusts.