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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2025–Jan 23rd, 2025

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

Regions

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Howson.

Allow new snow time to settle and stabilize before venturing into larger terrain. Uncertainty remains about how weak layers deep in the snowpack will react to the added load.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

While no new avalanche activity has been reported at the time of publishing, avalanche activity has likely occurred on Wednesday due to snowfall and increased winds. Paticularly in areas closer to the coast, which are forecast to received more snowfall.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30 cm of new snow has accumulated since the weekend, with lower amounts in inland areas. Westerly winds have redistributed this new snow into deeper deposits in leeward terrain. A layer of weak surface hoar crystals may exist beneath the new snow in wind-sheltered terrain, while previously wind-affected surfaces have been buried elsewhere.

Deeper in the snowpack, approximately 100 to 200 cm below the surface, a crust with faceted crystals, and/or surface hoar, buried in early December, persist.

The lower snowpack is generally well-settled with no current concerns.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h west ridegtop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Friday

Partly cloudy. 30 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Saturday

Partly cloudy. 30 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Give the new snow several days to settle and stabilize before pushing into bigger terrain.
  • 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.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.