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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 9th, 2024–Mar 10th, 2024

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

South Coast, Garibaldi, Powell River, Tantalus, North Shore, Sasquatch, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, Tetrahedron, Harrison-Fraser.

Ongoing stormy weather will continue to deliver heavy snow, strong winds, and warming temperatures. Plan to seek non avalanche terrain, free from overhead hazard.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, numerous small (size 1) easily triggered storm slabs have been observed and reported. See this MIN link for further detail.

Snowpack Summary

New snowfall amounts over the weekend are forecast to be in excess of 100 cm and this new snow will overlie a variety of mostly cold and hard surfaces and in protected areas surface hoar. Expect strong southwest winds to strip snow from ridgelines and exposed features and deposit new snow into deep pockets in lee aspect terrain.

Below this, over 100 cm of old storm snow appears to be settling and bonding well to the widespread crust below it. Below this crust, 40-70 cm of previous storm snow in some areas sits on a strengthening layer of pellet-like graupel over an earlier crust.

The lower snowpack is well consolidated.

Weather Summary

Saturday night

Cloudy with heavy snowfall bringing 30-50 cm of new snow. 50-80 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature around -2 °C with freezing levels around 1200 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with continuing heavy snowfall bringing 30-50 cm of new snow and 2-day totals of 100-150 cm. 20-40 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -4°C with freezing level around 1000 m

Monday

Cloudy with snowfall bringing 10-25 cm of new snow. 60-90 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -3°C with freezing level around 1100 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with snowfall bringing 10-20 cm of new snow. 20-40 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -4°C with freezing level around 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall.
  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.