Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
South Coast.
Get ready for a warm weekend. A rapidly warming snowpack can quickly lose strength and produce loose-wet avalanches. With warm alpine temperatures, be suspect of steep alpine slopes and cornices.
Confidence
Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with clear periods. Moderate southeast wind. Freezing level rising to 2400 m.SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate southeast wind. Freezing level 2400 m.SUNDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Light southeast wind with moderate-strong gusts. Freezing level rising above 2500 m.MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Light southeast wind. Freezing level above 2500 m.More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, loose wet avalanches released naturally below 1200 m. Skiers were able to trigger loose wet avalanches which ran on an ice layer down 15-20 cm.This region has had limited observations. Please submit any observations you have to the Mountain Information Network here.
Snowpack Summary
Below 1600 m, the snowpack is settled. Above 1700 m, recent snow has been redistributed by wind and formed cornices. Rising freezing levels are warming any dry snow left in the alpine.At alpine and treeline elevations in the north of the region, 70-100 cm recent storm snow is settling. Recent snowpack tests around treeline indicated some storm snow instabilities. Below the recent storm snow, a melt freeze crust exists, with associated facets (sugar snow) in some areas. Further south on the North Shore mountains, around 5-30 cm saturated snow overlies a crust with a good bond.
Problems
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.
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.