Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

A series of Pacific disturbances are lining up to hit the coast over the next few days. Light-Moderate snowfall amounts are expected above the snow/rain line, and valley bottoms should be warm and rainy. The freezing level should stay around 1200 metres overnight and then rise to 1500 metres on Friday. Saturday morning should be a bit cooler as freezing levels drop down to about 900 metres and stay below 1400 metres all day. Warmer air associated with the Sunday storm should push freezing levels back up above 1700 metres. Heavy precipitation, strong southerly winds, and high freezing levels are forecast for Monday.

No new avalanches reported. See MIN (Mountain Information Network) posts for avalanche activity during the last storm.

Thin new crusts have formed on most aspects at higher elevations above moist snow, and above dry snow on northerly aspects. New surface hoar has been reported from the Coquihalla area, that may be buried down 5-10 cm. Conditions across the region are variable. Most areas have not had a freeze below treeline since the last wet storm. A crust that formed after a warm storm at the end of January is now down 50-80 cm. The deeply buried persistent weak layer from early January appears to be isolated to the north of the region. This weakness which lies between 60 and 130cm below the surface is still reactive at higher elevations in the Duffey, Hurley and Birkenhead areas. This layer continues to produce sudden results in snowpack tests and has been responsible for recent destructive avalanches.