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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 13th, 2025–Apr 14th, 2025

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, 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.

Regions

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

Wind slabs are expected to remain reactive to human triggers, especially in lee features.

Avoid areas where the snow is wind effected.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday north of the sleeping beauty provincial park. Ski cutting produced a few small (size 1) wind slab avalanches with one large (size 2) remotely triggered persistent slab avalanche reported.

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

Snowpack Summary

Up to 35 cm of new snow is present on the surface above 1500 m and has buried a melt freeze crust. Past strong southerly winds has likely transported available snow, promoting wind slab development.

Dry snow exists on northerly aspects at upper elevations.

Below 1100 m the snowpack is wet and unconsolidated.

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

Sunday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Tuesday

Partly cloudy with up to 15 cm snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0°C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Wednesday

Partly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3°C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • 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.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.