Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
Periods of sunshine could destabilize the surface snow on Monday. Be alert for lingering wind slabs up in the alpine in the north of the region.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid exposure to sunny slopes.
- Watch for clues, like sluffing off cliffs and pinwheeling, that the snowpack is warming up.
- Give cornices a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Wind slabs may linger at higher elevations, and could be destabilized by periods of direct sunshine.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
Avalanche Summary
A few wet loose natural avalanches to size 1 were reported on sunny aspects on Saturday. We'd expect the same on Sunday with warming temperatures and direct sun.
On Friday a size 1.5 slab avalanche was reported on the south face of the First (aka Pump) Peak on Mt Seymour, which is a heavily traveled slope. See here for a great photo.
Snowpack Summary
At tree line and below, we're into a spring cycle with a good re-freeze overnight (supportive crust) followed by daytime warmings to +6 and wet surface snow. New snow amounts over the past several days (10 cm or less) have been absorbed into the spring snowpack cycle.
Alpine areas around Squamish likely received about 60-100 cm of storm snow a week ago, with wind early last week. In these areas the more recent snow is possibly sitting on a mixture of weak grains including a crust on solar aspects and potentially facets/surface hoar on polar aspects.
Below the storm snow the snowpack is generally well settled and strong.
Weather Forecast
We're looking at mostly sunny weather for Monday, before the next major system arrives on Wednesday. Temperatures are staying cool for this time of year.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light to moderate north-west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 800m
TUESDAY: Cloudy with light flurries / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 900m.
WEDNESDAY: Snow (5-15cm) / Moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level rising to 1200m in the afternoon
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The sun really packs a punch this time of year. Limit your exposure to sunny slopes if the sun comes out in full force.