Sea To Sky

Seek sheltered snow for the best quality, safest snow. Dial back your terrain selection if you see signs of instability. Garabaldi should be the hotspot for new snow and hazard on Friday.

High

• We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast

A MIN report from the Whistler area mirrored professional observations showing skiers easily triggering a touchy storm slab about 10 - 15 cm deep.

Explosives control triggered numerous storm slabs of a similar character. One cornice failure triggered a size 2 wind slab. On Tuesday, one explosives result stepped down to the mid-December crust.

With similar amounts in the forecast and word of a new crust ready to act as a bed surface, a similar scene can be expected Friday.

15 to 20 cm of new snow should fall by end of day Friday, most of it Thursday night. It may bury a thin December 24 temperature crust below 2000 m, a prime failure plane for avalanches.

Throughout the December storms, strong south wind has left behind wind slabs and loaded pockets in lee features, exposed rock or crust in open terrain. In sheltered areas the storm snow remains quite unconsolidated.

After 20 to 30 cm from the midweek storm, we have roughly 130 cm settling on crusty wet snow forming the basal snowpack in most areas. Above 2200 m, this crust is absent and an old crust complex and faceted snow from November is found at the base of the snowpack instead.

Thursday Night
Cloudy with increasing flurries bringing 10 to 15 cm of new snow, potentially double near Brohm Ridge. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 500 m.

Friday
Diminishing cloud and easing flurries with about 5 cm of snow. 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 600 m.

Saturday
Mostly sunny. 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C. Freezing level to valley bottom.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds with isolated flurries. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C to -6 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Be especially cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Use small, low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
• Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.