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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 8th, 2025–Apr 9th, 2025

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

Regions

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

Reduce your exposure to overhead hazards, like large slopes or cornices.

Daytime warming and sun will make avalanches more likely during the heat of the day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

This past weekend there were reports of wet loose avalanches up to size 1.5.

If you do head out in the mountains, please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10 cm of new snow is present on the surface above 1500 m. A melt-freeze crust is on or near the surface up to 1800 m. Dry snow persists on northerly aspects at upper elevations.

Three persistent weak layers remain notable in the snowpack.

  • Surface hoar that formed in mid-March can be found 50 to 100 cm below the snow surface.

  • A layer of surface hoar that formed in early March can be found at a depth of 100 to 150 cm.

  • A layer of facets, surface hoar, and/or a crust from mid-February is buried 100 to 200 cm deep.

At elevations below treeline, the snow pack is rain saturated and isothermal.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy with flurries. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2°C.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with up to 10 mm/cm of rain/snow. 40 to 80 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
  • The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.

Problems

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.