Avalanche Advisory Archive 2016 – 2018

Date Issued:2017-03-25 07:05:47
Danger:2
Primary Trend:3
Primary Probability:4
Primary Likelihood:2
Primary Size:2
Primary Description:

Yesterday we had some winds and slabs building once again. North winds loaded some of our traditional urban zones a bit. Thane saw much more loading than Berhands.

Slabs were built and continue to stress the weak layers already in place. Recognize the windslab is not the problem... the problem is the wind slabs built out over existing deep instabilities and the windslabs may be easy to trigger causing the release of the greater instability as well.

Avoid windloaded terrain recognizing it could be the trigger to much bigger slide issues.

Secondary Trend:1
Secondary Probability:3
Secondary Likelihood:3
Secondary Size:2
Secondary Description:

Yesterday we had some winds and slabs building once again. North winds loaded some of our traditional urban zones a bit. Thane saw much more loading than Berhands.

Slabs were built and continue to stress the weak layers already in place. Recognize the windslab is not the problem... the problem is the wind slabs built out over existing deep instabilities and the windslabs may be easy to trigger causing the release of the greater instability as well.

Avoid windloaded terrain recognizing it could be the trigger to much bigger slide issues.

Discussion:

The National Weather Service Forecasts-

Today- Snow and rain early in the morning, then numerous rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Snow accumulation to 1 inch. Snow level 300 feet. Highs around 40. Light winds becoming southeast 10 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight- Numerous rain showers in the evening. Scattered snow showers. Little or no snow accumulation. Lows around 32. East wind 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday- Cloudy. Isolated rain showers and snow showers in the morning, then slight chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs around 43. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Temperatures are cool this morning around the region. Eaglecrest is 28f at the base, 25f mid mountain and 28f at the Tram Summit.

Winds are mild this morning around the region. Eaglecrest is showing 8-10 and the tram is roughly the same. Out of the NE. Yesterday we had north winds blowing 20-30 along the channel and a little less on Douglas. Wind transport was occurring on the current weak slabs in place.

Precipitation has been at a minimum. We picked up 3mm of precip and 3cm of snow around the region.

With light snow and wind in the forecast while we have cloudy weather and no sun... natural avalanche activity should remain to a minimum today. Yet with the current deep persistent weakness in the snowpack human triggered avalanches remain possible in areas.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible with large avalanches in isolated areas.

This weakness has given us a great number of slides from 50-75cm deep and the slab is becoming harder to trigger and more of a hard slab in general...

Although probabliliy of triggering these slides is low consequence is high and exposure to extreme terrain should be avoided.

Be safe out there a few more days hopefully things will continue to stabilize over time.

Tip:

When is the last time you practiced with your avalanche transceiver? Can you find a buried partner in a football field sized slide path in under 3 minutes? Maybe you should practice more... Your partners life may depend on it.

Here is a link to a great routefinding exercise... its a great learning tool... especially for those newer to avalanches.

Please play enjoy and share. http://old.avalanche.ca/cac/training/online-course/reducing-risk/route-finding-exercises

Forecaster:Tom Mattice