Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
Winds have redistributed the recent storm snow at upper treeline and alpine elevations. Watch for areas of wind-affected, "pillowy" or hollow drum-like sounding snow.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution in down wind (lee) areas. Wind loading may create pockets of wind slab.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or shooting cracks.
Avalanche Summary
There were no new reports of avalanche activity on Thursday or Friday. However, on Wednesday a natural Size 2 slab avalanche was reported on a southeast aspect at 1400 m on the North Shore mountains, as well as a Size 1 on a west aspect at 1200 m. Also on Wednesday evidence of a natural cycle which likely occurred during or immediately after the storm was reported in higher alpine terrain in the northern part of the region.
Earlier in the week, a few natural, loose dry avalanches were observed in the recent storm snow. Ski cutting also produced storm slab and loose dry avalanches to Size 1 running far on the December 18th crust. And explosive control work produced storm slab avalanches up to Size 1.5 failing on the December 18th crust.
Snowpack Summary
Northerly winds have redistributed the recent storm snow scouring windward, northwesterly slopes and loading leeward southerly slopes in the alpine and exposed treeline areas. A thin sun crust can also be found on steep solar aspects. Approximately 20-30 cm of storm snow sits on top of the most recent December 18th melt-freeze crust, which has been unreactive in recent snowpack tests. Below this crusts lies 20 cm of well settled snow above the December 16th crust. Below this second crust, a third, 20 cm thick, late November crust is now buried 40-50 cm. The lower snowpack well settled and moist to ground. Snowpack depths are about 135 cm at 1100 m elevation, with many early season hazards present at lower elevations.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 2-5 cm. Ridge wind light from the southwest. Temperature -4. Freezing level surface. Strong outflow winds near coastal valleys.
MONDAY: Mostly cloudy, flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light from the northwest. Temperature -3. Freezing level surface.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Ridge wind light from the southwest. Temperature -4. Freezing level surface.
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Recent storm snow has been redistributed by northerly winds, scouring windward aspects and building wind slabs above the December 18th crust on leeward aspects in the alpine and in exposed treeline areas.