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
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
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
- Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.
- Watch for signs the snow warming up, like sluffing off cliffs and pinwheeling.
- Avoid exposure to sunny slopes.
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 three days have seen only 3-9cm of new snow in most areas (with some higher amounts in isolated areas of the Coquihalla). Daytime warming created moist, heavy surface snow on sunny aspects, which refroze to form a crust overnight.
Winds redistributed older snow to give a wide variety of surfaces: hard wind slabs, soft wind slabs on shady aspects, and the melt-freeze crusts on sunny aspects.
Snow from a week ago sits on a deeper 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
We're looking at a series of weak weather systems for the next few days. Convective activity could result in locally higher accumulations, especially in the north. Temperatures are staying cool for this time of year.
SUNDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with flurries (3-10cm, more possible in the north) / Light to moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -7 / Freezing level decreasing to 1000m
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud and occasional flurries / Light to moderate northwest wind / Alpine temperature -8 / Freezing level 1000m
TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -6 / Freezing level 1300m
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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.