Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
Brief periods of sunshine could destabilize the surface snow on Sunday morning. Be alert for lingering wind slabs up in the alpine in the north of the region.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The sun really packs a punch this time of year - that's no April Fool's joke! Limit your exposure to sunny slopes if the sun comes out in full force.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Pay attention to hazards like cornices when traveling on or below ridges.
- Watch for clues, like sluffing off cliffs and pinwheeling, that the snowpack is warming up.
- Avoid exposure to sunny slopes.
Avalanche Summary
A few wet loose natural avalanches to size 1 were reported on sunny aspects on Saturday. We'd expect the same on Sunday with warming temperatures and direct sun.
Snowpack Summary
At tree line and below, we're into a spring cycle with a good re-freeze overnight (supportive crust) followed by daytime warming to +6 and wet surface snow. New snow amounts over the past three days (1-8cm) have been absorbed into the spring snowpack cycle.
Alpine areas around Squamish likely received about 60-100 cm of storm snow and more wind early last week. In these areas the more recent snow is possibly sitting on a mixture of weak grains including a crust on solar aspects and potentially facets/surface hoar on polar aspects.
Below the storm snow the snowpack is generally well settled and strong.
Weather Forecast
There may be sunny breaks on Sunday morning before some convective flurries in the afternoon, with brief periods of intense precipitation. Temperatures are staying cool for this time of year.
SUNDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with convective flurries in the afternoon (3-5cm possible) / Light to moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -6 / Freezing level decreasing to 500m in the afternoon
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 700m
TUESDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 800m.
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Wind slabs may linger at higher elevations, and could be destabilized by periods of direct sunshine over the long weekend.