Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Dec 7 – 8, 2015Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Rising freezing levels, heavy precipitation, strong winds, and a layer or recently buried surface hoar are a recipe for High avalanche danger!

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    3–6
    Heavy snowfall will likely result in a continued and widespread avalanche cycle.

Confidence

Moderate

Weather Forecast

A series of powerful storms is going to wallop the coast over the coming days bringing heavy precipitation and strong winds.  Tuesday could see snowfall accumulations of between 25 and 40cm. with another 30cm expected by Friday.  Winds will be strong from the SW and freezing levels should stay below 1500m.

Avalanche Summary

Recent reports of natural, rider and remotely triggered avalanches from the mountains around Shames suggest that the load on a layer of recently buried surface hoar has reached critical levels.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 70 cm of new storm snow may now overlie a variety of old surfaces including crusts, facets and surface hoar.  The distribution of surface hoar is definitely my biggest knowledge gap, although it has been reported well into the alpine in the Bear Pass.

Regions covered