Avalanche Forecast
South Coast
Be alert for lingering wind slabs up in the alpine in the north of the region. Give cornices a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Summary
A few wet loose natural avalanches to size 1 were reported on sunny aspects on the weekend.
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
Unsettled weather until the next system arrives on Wednesday. Freezing levels will increase slowly & steadily.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with light flurries (3-6cm possible in the morning) / Light south west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 800m.
WEDNESDAY: Snow (5-10cm) / Moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level rising to 1200m in the afternoon
THURSDAY: Wet snow (20-30cm) or rain at lower elevations / Light to moderate south-west wind / Alpine temperature -2 / Freezing level 1700m
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Wind slabs may linger at higher elevations, and could be destabilized by periods of direct sunshine.