South Coast

Loading from snow, wind and rain will elevate avalanche danger for the weekend.

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Light to moderate snowfall or rain is expected to start Friday afternoon and continue throughout the forecast period with 5-15 cm of snow (or mm of rain) each day for Saturday, and Sunday, and associated moderate to strong southwesterly winds. Freezing levels could remain above 2000 m for the entire period.

Several natural wind slab avalanches were reported during and at the end of the storm that ended early Monday. On Monday one natural size 3 avalanche and one size 1.5 accidentally triggered avalanche were reported from the South Chilcotin Mountains. These were both wind slabs on northerly aspects near ridge top. Numerous size 1-2 loose wet slides were observed in the Coquihalla on Tuesday.

A sun crust or surface hoar caps the 30-50 cm of settling storm snow or faceted powder. Deep and dense wind slabs are likely bonding poorly to another hard crust and/or surface hoar layer in exposed wind-affected terrain. The bond to the crust could be somewhat variable but many observers report a good bond. Where surface hoar is present (possibly above the crust) the storm slab has been more reactive to ski testing on steep unsupported features. Deeper snowpack weaknesses are still on our radar, but seem to be dormant for the time being.