Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
Warm temperatures and sun cause unstable snow, especially in the afternoon. If the snow is moist or mushy, dial back your terrain selection 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 extra caution on sunny slopes or if the snow is moist or wet.
- Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where small avalanches may have severe consequences.
Avalanche Problem 2: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Recent snow and wind resulted in slab avalanche conditions in steep and/or exposed terrain at the highest elevations. Be careful around broad open slopes and steep terrain, especially where you can feel the November 26th crust with your ski pole.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid steep convex slopes.
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday we had a report of a Size 1.5 natural wind slab avalanche by Sky Pilot Mountain on a northerly aspect near 1500m. See here for the MIN report.
A significant travel hazard on Tuesday may be snow falling off heavily laden trees (aka tree bombs) as the freezing level heads towards 3000m and temperatures rise quickly.
Snowpack Summary
Late last week through to Saturday we saw significant storm snow totals, on the order of 80-100cm in the North Shore mountains. That said, all the new snow appears to be bonding well to a crust (down 80-100cm at tree line elevations) and stabilizing rapidly.
Travel has improved below tree line, but there are still open creeks, alder and other early season hazards. Expect snow depths of around 60 cm at 800 m and around 200 cm at 1200 m.
Weather Forecast
We're looking at fine weather for the foreseeable future. Significant warming begins Tuesday afternoon, with temperatures eventually forecast to hit double digits at mountaintop!!!
Tuesday: Mainly sunny and becoming warm up high. Freezing levels rising to 2000 m. Light northerly winds.
Wednesday: Sunny and warm. Light northerly winds. Freezing levels 3300m. Alpine high temperatures to +11 Celsius!
Thursday: Sunny and warm. Light northerly winds. Freezing levels 3200m. Alpine high temperatures to +11 Celsius!
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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.
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Set up an RSS feed for your email:
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- South Coast URL:
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Conditions will be more like spring than winter this week. Surface snow layers will become weak when hit by the sun. Minimize your exposure to terrain traps - even small sluffs can push you into dangerous terrain.