Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength. Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Saturday night: Around 5 cm of new snow with local enhancements possible in the south. Moderate southwest wind. Freezing level valley bottom.

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud, no significant precipitation. Light to moderate southwest wind. Treeline temperatures around -11 C.

Monday: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Moderate southeast wind. Treeline temperatures around -8 C.

Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light southwest wind. Treeline temperatures around -12 C.

We are still awaiting observations of avalanche activity during the storm.

There were two human triggered avalanches involving persistent weak layers last week. One was a size 2 avalanche triggered in a north-facing bowl near Barkerville. This avalanche is suspected to have occurred on a 50 cm deep surface hoar layer. The other was triggered near McBride and released on a steep rocky slope near treeline (see this MIN report). The failure layer was likely an early season crust/facet layer.

The convective nature of yesterday's storm has resulted in highly variable snowfall amounts throughout the region. Generally, 10-25 cm of new snow from Saturday's storm has seen redistribution by strong wind at upper elevations.

A few potentially concerning layers exist in the mid to lower snowpack. A surface hoar layer observed near Barkerville, and a widespread crust below 1800 m both now sit 40-70 cm deep. An early season crust layer with some weak snow around it can be found 100-250 cm deep in the alpine.

• Start with conservative lines and watch for clues of instability.
• Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
• Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.