Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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
South Coast.
Warm temperatures and sunshine will combine to promote reactivity in a range of avalanche problems on Friday.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
Friday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate southeast winds. Freezing level to 2200 metres with alpine temperatures around 0 to +1.Saturday: Cloudy with periods of rain and wet snow bringing up to 5 cm of new snow to alpine elevations before intensifying in the evening. Moderate to strong southeast winds. Freezing level dropping to 1700 metres over the day with alpine temperatures around 0 to -2.Sunday: Cloudy with flurries bringing around 5 cm of new snow to higher elevations over the day. Light south winds. Freezing level to 1500 metres with alpine temperatures of -4.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported, but there have been limited observations lately.Please enter your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN). See here for details.
Snowpack Summary
Stormy weather over the beginning of this week has brought about 50mm of precipitation to the North Shore Mountains, most of which fell as rain to the summits. In the Sky Pilot area, 30-40cm of snow likely fell above 1600m and was redistributed into wind slabs in lee terrain by recent southeast winds. Cornices also gained fragile new growth over the same time period. Below the wind effect, the new snow is now likely to be forming a good bond to the underlying crust. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and strong, however southerly aspects at treeline and below contain moist snow that typically has not been refreezing overnight.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
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.