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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 18th, 2025–Dec 19th, 2025

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

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Early season hazards just got a lot harder to see. Higher up, watch for signs of slab formation as you reach elevations where all our new snow sits on a smooth surface.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

We don't have reports from the storm yet, but it's safe to assume a natural avalanche cycle took place at its height. This would have been limited to alpine and some treeline terrain where previous coverage provided a smooth bed surface for avalanches.

We look forward to your MIN reports from checking out the snow!

Snowpack Summary

Thursday's storm should bring 40 to 70 cm of new snow before winding down to light flurries. In the alpine and some treeline areas, this roughly doubles the pre-storm snowpack, which consisted of 20 - 50 cm of rain-saturated snow capped by crust. Below about 1400 m, the new snow has mainly buried vegetation (especially in the forest) and patchy coverage open areas. It's a start!

Early season hazards now buried will be an ongoing concern until settlement begins to provide a firmer snow surface and until they are buried by more snow.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy with easing flurries bringing about 5 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level falls to 700 m.

Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries bringing 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy with flurries bringing 10 to 15 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 900 m.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy with continuing flurries bringing 10 to 20 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level reaching 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Be cautious of buried obstacles, especially below treeline.

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.