Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 16th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Wet.
cgarritty,
Avalanche Canada
Human-triggerable wind slabs can be found in the region's highest elevations where the hard early February crust is buried by wind-transported snow.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanches have been observed in the North Shore mountains.
A small (size 1) wind slab was triggered by a skier near Powell River on Wednesday (see photo).
Snowpack Summary
A surface crust exists to the top of the North Shore mountains, while higher elevations in other parts of the region have heavily wind-affected surfaces.
Conditions remain rugged at lower elevations.
Weather Summary
Friday night
Clear. Southeast or east alpine winds 35-40 km/h. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Saturday
Becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Southeast alpine wind 25-35 km/h. Treeline temperature +3 °C with freezing level around 1800 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with wet flurries bringing up to 5 cm of high elevation snow, light rain below about 1200 m. South alpine winds 30-40 km/h. Treeline temperature reaching 0°C with freezing level climbing to 1400 m.
Monday
Cloudy with isolated alpine flurries, light rain below about 1400 m. East alpine wind 10-20 km/h. Treeline temperature +2 with freezing level reaching 1700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
- A crust on the surface will help bind the snow together, but may make for tough travel conditions.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Northerly outflow wind has formed small wind slabs on some alpine features.
Aspects: South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
Daytime warming will rob cohesion from surface layers and promote wet loose avalanche conditions in steep, sun-exposed terrain, particularly in the alpine.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 17th, 2024 4:00PM
