Reactive storm slabs exist at higher elevations. At lower elevations, loose wet and wet slab avalanches are likely.
The danger rating reflects the forecast for the Southern part of the region. Elsewhere, avalanche danger may be a step lower.
40 to 60 cm in the North and up to 80 cm in the South of recent storm snow has blanketed upper elevations. The likelihood of triggering storm slabs increases in steep or convex terrain and in wind loaded areas.
Loose wet avalanches are possible from steeper terrain features at treeline and below treeline. Brief periods of sunshine may easily trigger loose wet avalanches at all elevations on southerly facing slopes.
Continued rain and higher freezing levels are making the upper snowpack very unstable. Wet slabs are releasing easily and sliding on a firm melt-freeze crust buried below. Reports indicate this is specific to the Southern half of the region.
Change is in the air with an unstable airmass bringing convective, spring-like weather. Generally, overcast skies and a drying trend will exist Thursday. The ridge should be set up by Friday with clearing skies and light northwest winds.
Wednesday Night: 5-10 cm of new snow. Freezing levels dropping to 1000 m overnight and moderate southwesterly wind at ridgetop.
Thursday: Cloudy skies in the South with possible periods of sunshine in the North. Convective flurries up to 10 cm with light northwest wind. Freezing levels 1000 to 1500 m.
Friday: Sunny skies with spring-like (diurnal) freezing levels dropping to 1000 m overnight and rising to 1500 m during the day. Ridgetop wind moderate from the northwest.
On Wednesday, numerous storm slab and loose wet avalanches up to size 2 were reported. Treeline and below treeline terrain saw wet loose avalanches up to size 2 as well.
On Tuesday afternoon, reports from the southern part of the region saw a widespread natural wet loose and wet slab cycle up to size 3. A few glide slab releases also occurred up to size 1.5. These avalanches may have actually occurred on Monday. In the northern part of the region, snowballing was seen from below treeline elevations. No new reports from the southern half of the region.
Anywhere from 40 cm to 60 cm of recent storm snow has accumulated in the North (Pemberton area) and up t 80 cm in the South (Coquihalla) over a variety of surfaces that were buried mid-February. These old interfaces include surface hoar and/or facets in shady, wind-sheltered areas, sun crust on solar aspects, and hard wind slab in the alpine. Generally, the storm snow seems to be settling quickly, however, deeper deposits have formed thicker slabs on leeward slopes treeline and above. The snow is becoming moist/wet and rain-soaked at lower elevations.
Another crust/facet layer from late-January is buried down 40-120 cm and has shown no results in recent snowpack tests and is dormant at this time.
