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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 25th, 2022–Dec 26th, 2022

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

Regions

South Coast Inland, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Strong wind, more precipitation, and spiking freezing levels will keep avalanche hazard elevated.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No notable recent avalanches have been reported, however poor weather and road closures have limited observations.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Upwards of 20 cm storm snow over the weekend has been redistributed by strong south winds. Warm temperatures and rain have impacted lower elevations, a melt-freeze crust has formed below 1400 m. The new snow covered a layer of weak and unconsolidated snow produced by the recent cold weather.

In the last 48 hours, around 15 cm fresh snow fell with steady south-southwest wind. The new snow overlies a facetted and unconsolidated layer which formed during the recent cold weather.

The winter snowpack is not as deep as usual, and along with a cold and dry early winter, the lower snowpack consists of weak, unconsolidated facets and depth hoar crystals. Snowpack depths average 50-200 cm at treeline.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Wet flurries and snow, 10 cm. Ridgetop high temperature 0 C. Southwest wind 20-40 km/hr. A warm pocket of air has freezing levels fluctuating between 1500-2000 m.

Monday

Depending on where freezing levels fall and how much moisture makes it inland, upwards of 25 cm possible by noon Monday above 2000 m.

Ridgetop high temperatures +1 C. Southwest wind 30-50 km/hr. Freezing level falling towards 1500 m.

Precipitation and high freezing levels may produce a variety of frozen water forms including freezing rain at roadside elevations.

Tuesday

Flurries, 5-10 cm. Ridgetop high temperature 0 C. Southwest wind 20-40 km/hr. Freezing level falling towards valley bottom.

Wednesday

Flurries and snow, 5 cm. Ridgetop high temperature -2 C. Southwest wind 20-40 km/hr.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 25cm of new snow.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.