Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

One last blast of Pacific moisture is set to clash with the Arctic air mass over the province as a low pressure system moves towards the Lower Mainland late Friday. As was the case with Thursday's storm, alpine precipitation will fall as snow with only the North Shore Mountains at risk of seeing some liquid precipitation creeping up the slopes as warm air associated with the low just clips the Lower Mainland.FRIDAY NIGHT: Freezing level at valley bottom, 5 to 20 cm of snow possible, strong southwest wind.SATURDAY: Skies clearing throughout the day, freezing level at valley bottom, light to moderate west/northwest wind, trace of snow possible.SUNDAY: A few clouds, clearing in the afternoon, freezing level at valley bottom, light variable wind, no snow expected.MONDAY: Scattered cloud cover, freezing level at valley bottom, light variable wind, no snow expected.

On Thursday a natural avalanche cycle was reported on steep unsupported features which produced storm slabs up to size 1.5 with crowns 10 to 15 cm in depth. A skier triggered size 1.5 avalanche on an unsupported feature at treeline was also reported.

Thursday's storm produced about 25 cm of storm snow in the north of the region and around 40 cm in the south. Winds have largely been out of the southwest throughout the storm. The new storm snow covers a medley of surfaces which include stubborn wind slabs and wind-scoured exposed crust in the alpine, and loose faceted snow as well as isolated surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and below. Variable amounts of snow (up to 100 cm around the Coquihalla and about 20 to 50 cm in the Duffey area) overlie a widespread melt-freeze crust that was buried on December 15th. As of late, this layer has not produced much in the way of avalanche activity, but it could come to life with the additional load of new snowfall, especially in areas where loose facets exist above the crust.Beneath the December 15th layer, the lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled.