Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Coastal
Sunshine and rising temperatures will elevate the avalanche danger throughout the week. Be aware of changing conditions throughout the day and avoid overhead hazards.
This is our final daily forecast for the season which will expire on April 25th.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.
- Watch for signs that the snow is heating up such as pin-wheeling or the surface snow becoming moist.
- Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Problem 2: Cornices
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Sunshine and warming temperatures will increase the likelihood of cornice failures.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Falling cornices may trigger persistent weak layers deeper in the snowpack.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating. Give them a wide berth both from above and below.
Avalanche Summary
Several very large deep persistent slab avalanches(size 3-4) which were triggered by cornice failures and several natural wind slabs up to size 2.5 were reported near Bear Pass on Saturday. Avalanche reports have been limited due to very few information sources this time of year. If you have been out, please post your observations on the Mountain Information Network. (MIN)
Snowpack Summary
Cornices are large and when they fail there is the potential to trigger large avalanches on deeply buried weak layers. Lingering wind slabs may be reactive to human triggers on leeward slopes below ridgetops.
In the south of the region, two layers of surface hoar are buried approximately 70-100 cm deep and most prominent on north to east aspects. Further north, these layers are around 40 cm deep. Below these March layers the mid-pack is generally well-settled and strong.
In the far north of the region there are weak sugary facets near the bottom of the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate west wind. Alpine temperature +4. Freezing level 1500 m.
WEDNESDAY: Sunny. Light west wind. Alpine temperature +9. Freezing level rapidly rising to 3200 m.
THURSDAY: Sunny. Light southwest wind. Alpine temperature +12. Freezing level 3000 m.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- Northwest Coastal URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/northwest-coastal.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Sunshine and warming temperatures will increase the loose wet avalanche activity throughout the week.