South Coast

Low avalanche danger doesn't necessarily equate to no avalanche danger. The odd small wind slab may still be human triggerable in more extreme terrain. The picture should start to change on Saturday as storm snow returns to the South Coast.

No new avalanche activity has been reported recently, but check out one of our forecaster's Mountain Information Network (MIN) posts from Tuesday. Warm temperatures and some direct sun on Monday and Tuesday may have initiated a round of natural loose wet avalanches at upper elevations.

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain on Friday

The weather pattern is changing, albeit slowly. As the ridge shifts east, a trough pattern on the west coast begins to bring cloud and precipitation beginning Thursday.THURSDAY: Overcast, freezing level around 2500 m, moderate southwest wind, 1 to 3 mm of precipitation expected late in the afternoon.FRIDAY: Overcast, freezing level around 2200 m, light to moderate south/southwest wind, 5 to 7 mm of precipitation expected.SATURDAY: Overcast, freezing level around 1300 m, light to moderate southwest wind, 5 to 7 mm of precipitation expected.

Two successive storms produced 40 to 80 cm of snow late last week. This week temperatures warmed dramatically. On Tuesday the Deeks Peak weather station (1280 m) got up to +8.7 C, Mt. Strachan (1420 m) topped out at +6.5 C. These warm temperatures combined with last Friday night's rain event have allowed the entire snowpack to settle and stabilize. 50 to 100 cm below the surface there are a few prominent melt-freeze crusts that were buried mid-December. This layer has not produced much in the way of avalanche activity and is likely trending towards dormancy. Beneath the mid-December crust, the lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled.The snowpack depth is about 160 cm at 1000 m, 220 cm at 1250 m. Many early season hazards are still present at lower elevations.