Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Mar 2 – 3, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

ALPINE avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE in the North of the region where the Deep Persistent Slab problem is a more active concern.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Stiff wind slabs may be found in the lee of exposed features in the alpine and at treeline.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3–5
    A layer of facets close to the ground remains a low probability high consequence concern for most of the region. However, in the north it is more active and has been responsible for several recent large natural and skier triggered avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number and quality of field observations

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY: flurries, light to moderate westerly winds, 1000m freezing level. FRIDAY: light snow with up to 10cm possible in the south west of Simthers, moderate southerly winds, 1200m freezing level. SATURDAY: flurries, light to moderate southerly winds, 1200m freezing level.

Avalanche Summary

A small natural avalanche cycle was reported in the northwest of the region on Tuesday.  Several natural wind slab avalanches north of Bell 2 stepped down to the basal facets.  A very large avalanche was triggered remotely by a skier on Monday near the Kispiox, it also released on basal facets in a steep unsupported wind loaded feature. 

Snowpack Summary

Recent moderate easterly winds have created fresh pockets of wind slab in reverse loaded alpine and treeline lee features. A couple of crusts buried in early and late February can be found in the upper meter of the snowpack.  Below this a layer of surface hoar from early January can be found in isolated locations between 60 and 140cm down.  There hasn't been any activity reported on this layer for a couple of weeks now and it is becoming less of a concern.  The snowpack in shallower areas sits on a weak base layer of facetted snow.  This has been an active layer recently, responsible for several large avalanches in unsupported alpine features over the last couple of weeks.

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