Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
With heavy snow and high winds in the forecast, Sunday looks like a great day to enjoy the resort. Or stick to simple, low-angle terrain free of overhead hazard if you choose to venture into the backcountry.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
- Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong indicators of an unstable snowpack.
- The new snow will need time to settle and stabilize.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday explosive control work produced several size 1-1.5 avalanches ranging from 20-60 cm deep and failing within the recent storm snow.
Friday, ski cutting produced size 1-1.5, storm snow releases in all steep terrain. Rapid loading and significant cornice development were also reported on Friday with professionals in the region commenting that conditions were changing dramatically during the day, and avalanche hazard increasing.
Snowpack Summary
Above 1000m about 60 cm of new snow has fallen with as much as 80-90 cm of new snow at higher elevations. This storm snow now covers a crust that was buried on January 17th. Below this crust the upper snowpack which consists of 90 cm of moist to wet snow and three prominent crusts (buried January 10th, January 8th and January 7th respectively). While these crust remain easily identifiable they have been unreactive in recent snowpack tests.
The snowpack depth at 1000 m is now about 200 cm.
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Heavy snow. Accumulation 30-40 cm. Ridge wind strong to extreme, south. Temperature -1. Freezing level 1000 m.
SUNDAY: Heavy snow. Accumulation 35-45 cm. Ridge wind strong to extreme, south. Temperature -1. Freezing level 1000 m.
MONDAY: Flurries. Accumulation 5-15 cm. Ridge wind light to moderate, southwest. Temperature -2. Freezing level 900 m.
TUESDAY: Snow. Accumulation 20-30 cm. Ridge wind strong to extreme, south. Temperature -1. Freezing level 1100 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.
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
- South Coast URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/south-coast.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.
Recent storm snow and strong winds have formed deep storm slabs. These slabs have been very reactive to skier triggering, particularly in steeper terrain and wind-loaded areas.