Avalanche Forecast
South Coast Inland
The odd small wind slab may still be human triggerable in more extreme terrain. The picture should start to change on Saturday as storm snow returns to the South Coast.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Caution with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday reported avalanche activity was limited to snow balling and pin wheels on north aspects.
Snowpack Summary
On Sunday a slight crust began to form on south and southwest facing aspects as warm temperatures and sun combined to moisten the snow surface. By Tuesday the upper 5 cm of the snowpack had started to become moist, even on upper elevation northeast facing features.
On December 28th and 29th two successive storms produced 50 to 80 cm of snow. On December 29th and 30th strong to extreme winds out of the southwest, south and southeast created widespread wind effect. Time and warm temperatures have allowed this snow to settle and bond well with the underlying surface. The exception may be with wind slabs in more extreme terrain and isolated pockets of buried surface hoar below treeline. A widespread melt-freeze crust may still be an issue in the northern portion of the region where it's down 50 to 70 cm below the surface, but is likely trending towards dormancy. Around the Coquihalla this interface is now thought to be part of a well bonded mid-pack.
The lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled.
Weather Forecast
The weather pattern is changing, albeit slowly. As the ridge shifts east, a trough pattern on the west coast begins to bring cloud and precipitation beginning Thursday.
THURSDAY: A few clouds in the morning with cloud cover increasing through the day. Light temperature inversion in place, cool air in the valley, warmer above freezing air between 1500 m and 2500 m, light to moderate south/southwest wind, no precipitation expected.
FRIDAY: Overcast, light temperature inversion in place, cool air in the valley, warmer above freezing air between 1500 m and 2500 m, light to moderate southerly wind, 1 to 2 mm of precipitation expected.
SATURDAY: Overcast, freezing level around 900 m, moderate to strong southwest wind, 1 to 3 mm of precipitation expected.
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 Inland URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/south-coast-inland.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.
Aided by time and warmth, the storm snow has settled into a stubborn old slab. For the most part, this slab is bonding well to the underlying surface but there may still be a wind slab issue in more extreme terrain.