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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 28th, 2023–Mar 29th, 2023

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson.

Areas with poor overnight refreeze will be quickest to break down and become prone to loose wet avalanches with daytime warming and strong sun.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Most avalanche activity this week has been limited to small (size 1) wet loose. However, a couple of larger wet avalanches have been reported in the south of the region. On Monday south of Terrace, a size 2.5 wet slab was reported out of a steep, rocky start zone on a northwest aspect around treeline. On Sunday, a rockfall-triggered size 2.5 wet loose avalanche was observed on a southwest aspect in the alpine.

A few natural cornice failures have been observed, and did not trigger slabs on slopes below.

Snowpack Summary

A crust exists on the surface on all aspects below 1800 m and on steep south facing slopes above. Dry snow can be found on shady aspects, wind-affected or well-settled.

The lower snowpack is well consolidated and strong.

Weather Summary

Tuesday night

Scattered cloud. Light to moderate northeast wind. Alpine low -4 °C.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny. Light northwest wind. Alpine high 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Thursday

Increasing cloud. Wind increasing to moderate southwest. Alpine high -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Friday

5-10 cm new snow. Strong southwest wind. Alpine high -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.

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.