Avalanche Forecast
South Coast Inland
In the north of the region, recent new snow may be sitting on a weak layer of facets or surface hoar on shady aspects in the alpine and tree line.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong indicators of unstable snowpack.
- If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
Reports on Monday from the north of the region show several skier triggered and natural storm slab avalanches size 1.5 to 2.5 running on either facets or surface hoar on north through east aspects in the alpine and tree line. On Sunday there was a report of a skier triggered storm slab (size 1) on a westerly aspect in the high alpine, as well as sloughing in steep terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Last weekend's storm snow totals are 20-40 cm of recent storm snow that sits on a crust that is present at all elevations on solar aspects as well as low elevation northerly aspects. On northerly and east aspects at treeline and alpine elevations the storm snow sits on a mix of large surface hoar and or facets.
Deeper in the snowpack in the north of the region, north and east aspects are harboring cold snow and a surface hoar layer buried early March that is about 40-60 cm below the surface. This layer exists at alpine and treeline elevations, but it is not everywhere. This layer has produced large human triggered avalanches in the north of the region in the past week. Also in the north of the region a weak layer buried mid-February is about 60 to 80 cm below the surface and has been reactive in snowpack tests. The layer is composed of sugary facets, a sun crust on solar aspects, and surface hoar that is present at and below treeline.
In the south of the region, around the Coquihalla and in Manning Park, the recent storm snow overlies a recent crust that caps a well settled snowpack.
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries in the north. Flurries in the south, accumulation 5cm / Moderate to strong west wind / Alpine temperature -3 / Freezing level 1300 m
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries in the north. Flurries in the south, accumulation 5-10cm / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -2 / Freezing level 1400 m
SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light to moderate southeast wind / Alpine temperature -1 / Freezing level 1600 m
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New snow and strong winds have built storm and wind slabs. These slabs will add to recent storm snow that overlies an old surface of crusts and surface hoar and has been reactive at treeline and above in the north of the region.