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Friday April 16 2010

Date Issued April 15, 2010 at 10:15PM

Valid until April 11th 2010.

DANGER RATINGS (Make sure you understand the danger level meanings)

OutlookFridaySaturdaySunday
Alpine CONSIDERABLE
 MODERATE
 MODERATE
Tree Line MODERATE MODERATE MODERATE
Below Treeline MODERATE
 LOW
 LOW

Confidence: Good

Main Concerns: Hazard levels based on DAY TIME WARMING period over night hazard decreases.

  • Solar aspects Wet Surface slides
  • Cornice Fall, North West North North East East aspects (potential large natural trigger).

Weather:

The past week saw Spring arrive with high temperatures and sun. Very little precipitation fell during the week.  Highs of 6 to 9 degrees at tree line.

More Spring weather is expected for the Island over the next three days. Minor flurries or showers more likely on Saturday and Sunday. Freezing Levels over night freezing still expected above 1400m, day time freezing levels 1000m to 2000m generally cooler on the North Island. Winds from the South a bit West at 10 or 20 KM H.

Avalanche Activity:

Pin wheels and steep slopes are shedding loose wet surface layers. No reports of Cornice Falls....

Snowpack:

Solar aspects melting and pinwheeling during heat of day, refreezing over night. Most slopes, elevations  melting surface during day

Terrain Discussion: 

Caution over head hazards such as Cornice and very steep slopes.  Caution Solar aspects, Gullies or Garbage Chute type paths.

Travel Advisory: 

Set the clock early and sharpen your edges, watch the temperatures and sun and back out before the heat sets in. This time of year the sun becomes a factor and the possibility of rapid temperature increases is noteworthy. Natural triggers such as cornice, tree bombs and steep plastered rock, are active at this time. Human Triggering is Possible to unlikely and decreasing into Sunday. Extra caution with Travel on or below cornices.   Caution Solar aspects during day warming. Keep good track of your surroundings as large natural triggers could start slides high above you or trigger and propagate  horizontally.

Outlook:

Spring is here for the island mountains. Sunny Friday with very high freezing levels, a few clouds and possible showers Saturday and more Sunday but with very little rain/snow expected. Winds South Light and perhaps a bit a gust when showers move through in the PM.

Posted in Current Conditions

Posted in Current Conditions