Avalanche Forecast
South Coast Inland
In the north of the region, wind slabs may sit on a weak layer of facets or surface hoar on shady aspects in the alpine and tree line. See Friday's Forecaster Blog for more details: goo.gl/8Z83Cv
Avoid sunny slopes if the sun comes out in full force.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The sun really packs a punch this time of year - if you see it come out in full force, be prepared to adjust your terrain use accordingly.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid exposure to sunny slopes.
- Watch for signs the snow warming up, like sluffing off cliffs and pinwheeling.
- Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Summary
On Thursday, skiers triggered a size 2 wind slab that caught and carried a skier near Steep Creek in the Duffey zone. Slab thickness was 15-20cm. See this MIN post for more details.
On Tuesday there was report of a skier triggered wind slab from the north of the region in the alpine near ridge top running on a layer of facets buried March 21. See this MIN post for more details.
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.
Snowpack Summary
The past two days have seen only 1-6cm of new snow in most areas (with some higher amounts in isolated areas of the Coquihalla). Winds have redistributed older snow to give a wide variety of surfaces: hard wind slabs, soft wind slabs and melt-freeze crusts.
Snow from a week ago sits on a crust that is present at all elevations on sunny 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.
In the south of the region, around the Coquihalla and in Manning Park, the last storm snow overlies a recent crust that caps a well settled snowpack.
Weather Forecast
There may be some significant periods of sunny weather on Saturday before a weak system comes through on Sunday. Temperatures are staying cool for this time of year.
SATURDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1400m
SUNDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with some flurries (3-5cm in the North and 5-10 cm in the South) / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -7 / Freezing level decreasing to 1000m
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud and isolated lingering flurries / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -7 / Freezing level 1000m
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Moderate to strong southwest winds (east in the Coquihalla) have built wind slabs. These slabs seem to be most reactive in the north of the region, specifically on shady aspects where they may be sitting on a layer of weak facets or surface hoar.