Vancouver Island

If you see more than 30 cm of new snow, treat the danger as HIGH.
Gather information as you ascend, watching closely how the new snow is bonding to the layers underneath.

Low

• Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

There have been no recent backcountry reports; however, natural avalanche activity is likely ongoing during periods of rapid loading from heavy snow and/or wind transport.

Snow continues to accumulate throughout the region, with many areas seeing the snowpack more than double in depth since the beginning of last week. Up to 100 cm of recent snow has fallen in areas, with deeper deposits in wind-loaded terrain at treeline and above.

Below the recent snow lies a melt-freeze crust over previously rain-saturated snow.

Early-season hazards remain a concern, now concealed beneath the new snow, and will continue to be until the snowpack settles into a more supportive surface or additional snowfall provides deeper coverage.

Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow, possibly 20 to 30 near Strathcona Park. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 700 m.

Monday
Cloudy. 25 to 35 cm of snow. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 15 to 20 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 700 m.

Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for fresh storm slabs building throughout the day.
• As the storm slab problem worsens, the easy solution is to choose more conservative terrain.
• Be especially cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.