Vancouver Island

Although natural avalanche activity is tapering off, new snow may still be reactive to human triggering due to a buried weak layer.

New Forecaster Blog "Keeping a Conservative Mindset"

On Tuesday, avalanche control with explosives produced a few dry loose avalanches, size 1.5, that ran on the weak layer below the storm snow.

We expect new snow will remain reactive to skier traffic on Friday, anywhere winds have formed slabs. Carefully manage sluffing in steep terrain.

Around 30 to 60 cm of storm snow has accumulated recently and may be poorly bonded to underlying layers. The storm snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust in most areas and a weak layer of facets and/or surface hoar on high north-facing slopes. In wind-exposed terrain, storm snow has been redistributed by moderate to strong southwest wind.

The mid and lower snowpack is well-settled and dense with no other layers of concern.

Thursday Night

Clear. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Friday

Cloud increasing through the day. 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Saturday

Partly cloudy with light flurries, 1 to 4 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Sunday

Partly cloudy. 30 to 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
• Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
• Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.
• Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.