Sea To Sky

Cornices are becoming weak during spring and are prone to sudden failure.

Loose wet avalanches will be likely as the surface crust softens.

Learn more about spring snowpack conditions here.

Isolated natural loose wet avalanches were reported from westerly slopes at 1800 m and above, with the largest ones around Whistler (size 3).

On Monday, several natural and human-triggered cornice failures (size 1 and 2) were reported, like this massive one from the Joffre Lake area.

Past evidence of old wet avalanche occurrences (up to size 2.5) are still visible throughout the region from past warming.

A typical spring diurnal cycle is underway.

High freezing levels have formed a surface crust everywhere except possibly the highest north-facing terrain.

The snowpack is generally well-settled and strong, although dormant weak layers may still exist in shallow inland areas like the Duffey and Chilcotin.

Sustained high freezing levels with poor overnight recovery have the potential to awaken dormant weak layers.

Lower elevations are melting out rapidly.

Wednesday Night

Clear. 20 to 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level around 1000 m.

Thursday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Friday

Sunny with increasing cloudiness. 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with isolated flurries up to 5 cm. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level lowering to 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid travelling on slopes below cornices.
• Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.