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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 5th, 2024–Jan 6th, 2024

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

Regions

South Coast, Powell River, North Shore, Tetrahedron.

Heavy snowfall and strong winds overnight - Expect to find a reactive storm slab by morning. Or fresh snow just barely covering lower elevation hazards.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported, and very few field observations.

If you head into the backcountry by any method of travel, please consider submitting observations and/or photos on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of snow accumulated through Friday. Up to 50 cm of snow is forecast to accumulate by Saturday morning.

New and recent snow covers a crust and well-settled snowpack in the alpine and upper treeline. At lower elevations, the snowpack is moist and tapers quickly.

In the warmest, wettest parts of the forecast area and lower elevation ridgetops and peaks, the snowpack has been mostly melted by recent rain. Other than shaded gullies that may hold snow, much of the terrain is below the threshold for avalanches.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Snowing. 30-50 cm of snow accumulating by morning. Very strong southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -2 °C.

Saturday

Snowfall slowing early morning. West ridgetop wind decreasing to moderate. Treeline low around -3 °C.

Sunday

A mix of sun and clouds. No precipitation. Light northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline low around -6 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with flurries, 5-15 cm of snow. Increasing southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline low around -5 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Storm snow and wind is forming touchy slabs. Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
  • Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.