Vancouver Island

Terrain out of the wind will hold the best snow and lowest danger

Avalanche danger will increase through the day as new snow and wind form slabs that could avalanche under the weight of a human

Moderate

• We are uncertain due to the track and intensity of the incoming weather system.
• The snowpack structure is well understood.

No recent avalanches have been reported.

If you are heading into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations and posting a MIN.

10-20 cm of new snow is expected to accumulate at treeline and above by the end of the day on Wednesday. Moderate to strong South or Southeast winds will make deeper, denser deposits in leeward terrain.

Steep south through west facing slopes may have a thin, breakable crust under the new snow.

The thick and strong mid-March crust is now expected to be buried by 30-60 cm of mostly settled snow, with the deeper areas being found on the north and west island.

Below this, the rest of the snowpack is wet but well settled and strong.

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy. 1 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 30-45 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Wednesday

Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline, possible hotspots of 30 mm. 35-50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline high 0 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.

Thursday

Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy. 3 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avalanche danger is expected to increase throughout the day.
• Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.
• Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where even small avalanches may have severe consequences.
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.