Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Jan 20 – 21, 2025Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 2 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate

Highlights

Weak layers remain sensitive to human triggering, producing large avalanches.

Avoid exposure to large, open slopes - including overhead hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Wind slabs likely remain reactive. Be especially cautious if you observe active wind transport of snow. Wind slabs may step down to deeper persistent weak layers, producing very large avalanches.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3.5

    Large avalanches on this layer continue. It is most triggerable in areas where the snowpack thins (steep, rocky slopes).

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday explosive, natural and remotely triggered avalanches continued, producing size 2 to 3 avalanches. Several triggered as wind slabs on steep slopes, before stepping down to the December crust/facets/surface hoar. Activity was concentrated on northwest through east face slopes at treeline and above.

Natural activity will likely continue to decrease, but the snowpack is expected to remain primed for human triggering.

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall will bury a layer of surface hoar in sheltered areas. Previous storm accumulations of up to 80 cm were heavily wind affected by west/southwest winds in exposed areas.

A layer of surface hoar, facets, or a thin crust is buried 30 to 60 cm deep at upper elevations.

Buried 100 to 200 cm deep is the current layer of concern - surface hoar, facets, and a crust. This layer produced large natural avalanches during the recent storm and continues to be very reactive to triggers.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Increasing cloud. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Tuesday

Partly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Wednesday

Cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind that human triggering may persist as natural avalanches taper off.
  • Remote triggering is a concern; avoid terrain where triggering overhead slopes is possible.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.

Regions covered