April 11, 2008
Whistler Avalanche conditions
April 11, 2008
Alpine: Moderate
Treeline: Low
Below Treeline: Low
Travel Advisory: A gradually increasing load of low density snow has been accumulating over the old stiff and or crusty interface dating back to April 2nd. On north facing aspects up to 30cm of snow can be found resting on this layer. The surface layers of snow have rapidly become temperature affected on any slopes exposed to the brief appearances of the sun during the past few days. Elsewhere the soft slabs that have been formed by moderate southerly winds may remain reactive to the weight of a person in some isolated areas. Rapidly rising freezing levels on Friday and Saturday may produce a widespread spring avalanche cycle involving at least the surface layers of snow on steep solar aspects. There is always the possibility as well that a moist sluff in motion could step down to some weakness buried deeper in the snowpack.
Avalanche Activity: Explosive testing on Monday morning produced a few size 1.0 to 1.5 soft slabs that were propagating easily. Small natural sluffs were also observed to have occurred. Although the storm snow layers have rapidly been settling and gaining strength, you can expect to find some soft slabs on lee slopes that remain reactive to the weight of a person around some isolated terrain features on more northerly aspects. Any appearances of the sun today could rapidly produce moist sluffing in steep rocky terrain.
Snowpack: Ridge lines remain predominantly scoured down to the old melt freeze crust and solar aspects have a variety of weaker crusts in the upper layers. The early April crust has proven to be a failure plane in some areas particularly in terrain where the old surface remained smooth and was not roughened up. North aspects have retained winterlike conditions, although that may change with the forecast warm temperatures over the weekend.
Weather: Mainly cloudy conditions are forecast for today, tonight and Saturday. Some breaks and flurries can be expected. Temperatures will begin warming today and the freezing level should get up to 2500m. by Saturday. More clouds and flurries are on the way for next week with temperatures cooling again on Monday.
April 11, 2008
Alpine: Moderate
Treeline: Low
Below Treeline: Low
Travel Advisory: A gradually increasing load of low density snow has been accumulating over the old stiff and or crusty interface dating back to April 2nd. On north facing aspects up to 30cm of snow can be found resting on this layer. The surface layers of snow have rapidly become temperature affected on any slopes exposed to the brief appearances of the sun during the past few days. Elsewhere the soft slabs that have been formed by moderate southerly winds may remain reactive to the weight of a person in some isolated areas. Rapidly rising freezing levels on Friday and Saturday may produce a widespread spring avalanche cycle involving at least the surface layers of snow on steep solar aspects. There is always the possibility as well that a moist sluff in motion could step down to some weakness buried deeper in the snowpack.
Avalanche Activity: Explosive testing on Monday morning produced a few size 1.0 to 1.5 soft slabs that were propagating easily. Small natural sluffs were also observed to have occurred. Although the storm snow layers have rapidly been settling and gaining strength, you can expect to find some soft slabs on lee slopes that remain reactive to the weight of a person around some isolated terrain features on more northerly aspects. Any appearances of the sun today could rapidly produce moist sluffing in steep rocky terrain.
Snowpack: Ridge lines remain predominantly scoured down to the old melt freeze crust and solar aspects have a variety of weaker crusts in the upper layers. The early April crust has proven to be a failure plane in some areas particularly in terrain where the old surface remained smooth and was not roughened up. North aspects have retained winterlike conditions, although that may change with the forecast warm temperatures over the weekend.
Weather: Mainly cloudy conditions are forecast for today, tonight and Saturday. Some breaks and flurries can be expected. Temperatures will begin warming today and the freezing level should get up to 2500m. by Saturday. More clouds and flurries are on the way for next week with temperatures cooling again on Monday.
