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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 1st, 2024–Feb 2nd, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Coast Inland, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Climb high enough and you'll find dry snow and a bit of a wind slab problem to manage. Steering clear of bigger terrain until the snowpack sees more decisive cooling is a wise approach.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A widespread avalanche cycle took place in the region through the early week, with numerous wet slab and wet loose avalanches to size 4 (very large) seen in a wide range of terrain. One report from Tuesday featured a size 4 with a crown fracture over 3 km long! Wednesday was much quieter.

Looking ahead, the focus is shifting to wind slabs forming where new snow is accumulating. Cooling temperatures will soon greatly reduce the odds of deep avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

Alpine elevations ought to collect another 5-10 cm of new snow by end of day Friday, adding to an existing (estimated) 10-20 cm already sitting on a crust formed since the rain.

Below this crust and at lower elevations where it has yet to form, the upper 30-60 cm of the snowpack is moist or wet from the same rain.

The mid and lower snowpack consists of variable layers of crusts and faceted snow.

Overall the snowpack remains unusually shallow and continues to melt at lower elevations.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Diminishing wet flurries bringing less than 5 cm of new snow above 1500 m. South alpine wind 15-20 km/h.

Friday

Cloudy with scattered wet flurries bringing less than 5 cm of new snow above 1500 m. Southwest alpine winds 10 to 15 km/h, easing. Treeline temperature 0°C with freezing level around 1700 m.

Saturday

Mainly sunny. Variable alpine winds shifting northeast, 5-10 km/h. Treeline temperature -3°C with freezing level around 1300 m.

Sunday

Mainly sunny. Northeast alpine wind 5-10 km/h. Treeline temperature -5°C with freezing level around 900 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Avoid areas with overhead hazard.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.