Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Coastal
Watch for wind slabs in unusual places, including low elevation terrain.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect and exposure to wind.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 2: Deep Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
This problem appears to be ongoing, particularly in areas around Stewart and to the north. Likely trigger points are in steep, rocky alpine terrain.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be especially cautious in areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
- Storm slabs in motion could step down and trigger deep persistent slab avalanches.
- Minimize exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, carefully select genuinely safe spots to re-group.
Avalanche Summary
Explosive control work on Tuesday and Wednesday managed to produce some large avalanches that failed on the crust buried at the end of October on north through east aspect alpine slopes in the Stewart area and north of Stewart. A natural storm avalanche cycle was observed last weekend up to size 2.5.
Snowpack Summary
The region picked up 20 to 60cm of storm snow last weekend accompanied by winds out of the southwest, west, northwest, and most recently the east. Since then, little additional snow has fallen, but cooler temperatures have kept snow dry and susceptible to being blown around by the wind. Wind slabs may rest on a melt freeze crust (reported to be 3 to 15cm thick), and there are reports there also may be surface hoar resting above this crust in sheltered locations. Below this crust the mid-pack is reported to be generally strong. You can expect to find a second prominent crust, which was buried at the end of October, 100 to 200cm below the surface. This lower layer may have associated facets, particularly in more shallow locations.
Weather Forecast
Kasiks (1435m):HN24 9cm; TMin -5; TMax 0; winds 30-50 NW
Shames (740m):6cm/6mm; TMin -5; TMax -3
Bear River Ridge (1995m):
Windy Upper (1490m):winds 30-60 W then NW
Endgoal (370m):HN24 4cm
Snowbank Mid (1065m):HN24 3cm
Revision (1500m):20-35 W then NW
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.
At upper elevations, northwest has been the primary wind direction. At lower elevations, easterly outflow winds are expected. Watch for wind slabs in unusual places.