Northwest Coastal

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain on Thursday

Synopsis: A ridge of high pressure will build to the south deflecting a series of storms at the North Coast driving freezing levels into the alpine. A sub-tropical moisture stream looks to feed these systems so expect moderate to heavy precipitation especially in the north of the region. The precipitation will likely fall as rain in the south becoming snow further north.Tonight and Tuesday: Heavy snow becoming rain / Strong to extreme southwest winds / Freezing levels rising overnight to 1700m.Wednesday: Mainly cloudy / Light south west winds / Freezing level to drop to 900mThursday: Mainly cloudy / light southwest winds / Freezing levels 1900m

It sounds like things are starting to wake up with the warming trend and intensifying precipitation producing storm slab avalanche across the region ranging in size from 1 to 2.5.

Reports suggest that the snowpack is shallower and more faceted in the northern of the region, in the south it is deeper with more wind slab problems. Professionals in the area note there is much more variability in snow cover this year compared to most years.Around the Skeena corridor 70-80cm of settling storm snow overlies a variety of old surfaces including surface hoar in sheltered locations, and wind-affected snow at upper elevations. Windslabs are developing on north to north east lee features. Depending on your location, you may find a facet/crust combo or surface hoar from early in January sitting below the storm snow surface. Report suggest these layers are gaining strength; however, they may be worth keeping an eye on as the snow load above them increases.Below this the mid and lower snowpack is gaining strength. The exception is where a layer of week snow is lingering just above the ground in the shallower snowpack found in the North of the region.