Regions
South Coast Inland.
A steady stream of light precipitation should fall as snow at upper elevations and continue to accumulate in the coming days and gradually raise the avalanche danger.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Flurries, accumulation 10-15cm / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -2TUESDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5-15cm / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -3WEDNESDAY: Flurries, accumulations 5-10cm / Moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -5
Avalanche Summary
Recent avalanche activity in the north of the region has been reported as isolated loose wet avalanches to size 2 in steep alpine features prior to temperatures cooling off.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20cm of snow sits on a crust that formed after temperatures cooled moist surface snow on Saturday. Two successive storms at the end of December produced 50 to 80 cm of snow, which has long since to settled and bonded to the underlying surface. A widespread melt-freeze crust formed in mid-December may still be an issue in the northern portion of the region where it's down 50 to 100 cm below the surface, but is likely trending towards dormancy. Around the Coquihalla this interface is now thought to be part of a well bonded mid-pack. The lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled.
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.