Avalanche Forecast
Regions: South Coast.
It is uncertain how fast the recent storm snow will bond with the old snow surface. Best to give the snowpack time to stabilize and gain strength before committing to bigger avalanche terrain.
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Clouds with clear periods, light northwest wind, treeline temperature -16 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest wind, treeline temperature -17 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, light westerly wind, treeline temperature -15 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny, light westerly wind, treeline temperature -16 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, a few small (up to size 1.5) explosive triggered storm slab avalanches were reported.Â
On Friday, the snow was reactive to skier traffic. Several small (size 1) skier triggered avalanches and a few natural avalanches were reported.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 100 cm of snow fell within the past two days with moderate to strong southerly wind. There is uncertainty how well the new snow will bond with the old snow surface, as it is resting on a hard melt-freeze crust below 1500 m and potentially feathery surface hoar above the crust. Assess the bond of the recent snow before committing to avalanche terrain and travel conservatively.
Terrain and Travel
- Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
- Give the new snow time to settle and stabilize before pushing into bigger terrain.
- Avoid terrain traps where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.
Avalanche Problems
Storm Slabs
Up to 100 cm of snow fell over the past days. This storm was accompanied by moderate to strong southerly wind. The formed slabs might still be sensitive to human traffic particularly in lee terrain features.
The recent snow may not bond well to the snowpack, as it is resting on a hard melt-freeze crust and potentially surface hoar. Best to give all this recent snow some time to settle and strengthen before travelling into avalanche terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5