Avalanche Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy with isolated flurries; 0-3 cm. / Light, north ridgetop wind / Alpine low -17 / Freezing level surface.

WEDNESDAY: Sunny / Light, northwest ridgetop wind / Alpine high -7 / Freezing level 800 m.

THURSDAY: Snow; 5-15 cm. / Strong, southwest ridgetop wind / Alpine high -5 / Freezing level 1100 m.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with flurries; 3-5 cm. / Light, northwest ridgetop wind / Alpine high -6 / Freezing level 900 m.

Sunday night's storm triggered a widespread natural avalanche cycle producing numerous storm slabs up to size 4 in the south of the region, most notably, the Coquihalla Pass area. 

In the north of the region, a natural avalanche cycle up to size 2 also occurred Sunday night. On Monday, a skier remotely triggered a size 2 wind slab from 40 m. away in an area northeast of the Birkenhead zone. 

Strong southwest winds have created thick wind slabs at upper elevations that will likely remain reactive to human triggers for several days.

Weather stations suggest snowfall amounts from the weekend are 30-50 cm in the Cascades, 20-30 cm at the Duffey, 30-50 cm northwest of Pemberton, and 10-20 cm in the Chilcotin. In all parts of the region, alpine terrain will be heavily wind affected after strong to extreme southwest winds. Freezing levels reached 1500 m during the storm, so expect a rain crust at lower elevations. Recent weather has helped strengthen the lower snowpack including previous layers of concern.

• Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
• Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
• Extra caution is needed around cornices under the current conditions.