Avalanche Forecast
Sea To Sky
Alpine temperatures are sky rocketing! Dial back your terrain choices when the snow gets moist or mushy and avoid cliffs, gullies, and steep slopes with trees.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps, where small avalanches may have severe consequences.
- Use extra caution on sunny slopes or if the snow is moist or wet.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Isolated winds slabs have formed on a variety of aspects at higher elevations, and in some cases sit above a buried crust. Be careful on steep convex terrain or where the wind has blown the snow into more cohesive slabs.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features
- Be alert to changing snow conditions, especially where the snow firms up or sounds hollow.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday, a few small loose avalanches were reported on steep south-facing slopes, showing the initial effects of the warm weather. More wet loose activity can be expected thanks to the sustained warming this week.
Snowpack Summary
Dramatic warming will cause widespread melting of the surface snow, especially on south-facing slopes. Crusts may form overnight, but will melt quickly in the mornings. The 40-60 cm of storm snow that fell last week is rapidly settling and bonding well to the late November rain crusts. Up high, shifting winds (first from the south, and more recently from the north) have blown snow around in exposed areas creating drifts and scoured areas.
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level around 3200 m.
FRIDAY: Sunny, light wind, freezing level around 3000 m.
SATURDAY: Increasing cloud, moderate to strong southwest wind, freezing level around 2500 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.
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- Sea To Sky URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/sea-to-sky.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
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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.
Conditions will be more like spring than winter this week. Surface snow layers can become weak when hit by the sun. Minimize your exposure to terrain traps - even small sluffs can push you into dangerous terrain.