Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Coastal
Lingering wind slabs may still be reactive to human triggers on leeward slopes below ridgetops.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution when transitioning into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid areas that look freshly loaded with snow; especially convex features below ridgetops.
- Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind loaded slopes.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Recent storm snow below treeline may quickly become moist and increase the likelihood of loose wet avalanches.
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.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported in this region. 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
Lingering wind slabs may still be reactive to human triggers on leeward slopes below ridgetops.
In the south of the region, two layers of surface hoar are buried early-March and mid-March are 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. However in the far north of the region there are weak sugary facets near the bottom of the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Cloudy. Light south wind. Alpine temperature -1. Freezing level 1200 m.
MONDAY: Cloudy. Moderate to strong southwest wind. Alpine temperature +3. Freezing level 1500 m.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Light to moderate southwest wind. Alpine temperature +3. Freezing level 1500 m.
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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.**
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Lingering wind slabs may still be reactive to human triggers in wind affected terrain at treeline and above.