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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 18th, 2024–Apr 19th, 2024

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

Regions

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

Hunting good corn snow is an art. Monitor daytime warming and back off from solar slopes as surface crusts fully break down and wet loose avalanches become possible.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

We haven't received reports of recent avalanche activity. The likelihood of triggering avalanches is generally low at this time, but intense warming creating wet loose avalanche conditions on solar aspects is a daily concern.

Please consider submitting to the Mountain Information Network if you are getting out in the backcountry.

Snowpack Summary

The snow surface will wet and weaken with daytime warming and freeze into a hard melt-freeze crust at night. Solar aspects are the most concerning for wet loose avalanche problems developing during the day.

The remainder of the snowpack is strong.

There is insufficient snow to form avalanches for most below treeline locations.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level remaining near 1600 m.

Friday

Clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +3 °C. Freezing level to 1700 m.

Saturday

Increasing cloud with 5 - 10 cm of new snow in the late afternoon, continuing overnight. 40 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature 2 °C before falling in the afternoon. Freezing level falling from 1800 m to 1300 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with easing flurries bringing 2 - 5 cm of new snow and 15 - 40 cm storm totals. 20 - 50 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, easing. Treeline temperature around 0 °C with freezing level to 1300 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.