Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Avalanche activity over the course of the storm has been extensive. Maintain conservative terrain selection while human-triggering remains a concern. Isolated areas will see storm slabs continue to build over Sunday night.
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 - especially if they see sunshine.
- Choose well supported terrain without convexities.
- Be careful with wind loaded and cross-loaded slopes, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Saturday included numerous observations of storm slabs releasing naturally as well as with remote (from a distance) triggering, skier traffic and explosives control. Sizes ranged from 2-3, with crown fracture depths varying from 30-100 cm. This activity occurred on all aspects but was focused at alpine elevations.
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 slab 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. 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 new snow on Friday brought 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 a layer 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
Monday: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light variable winds. Alpine high temperatures around -10.
Tuesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace to 3 cm of new snow. Light southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -9
Wednesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, increasing overnight. Light southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around -6.
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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. Periods of sunshine may also undermine stability on any sun-exposed slopes.