Avalanche Forecast

Moderate -

SUNDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 500 m, no new snow expected, moderate to strong northwest wind.

MONDAY: A few clouds in the morning giving way to clear skies in the afternoon, no new snow expected, light northeast wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around 0 C.

TUESDAY: Clear skies, no new snow expected, moderate to strong northeast wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around -5 C.

WEDNESDAY: Scattered cloud cover at dawn building to overcast by lunch, no new snow expected, moderate northwest wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around -1 C.

No avalanches have been reported on the Island this week. If you are recreating in the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report. 

Up to 5cm sits over a thick and supportive crust which caps the snowpack on all aspects and elevations. The exception is up around Mt. Cain where the weekend storm produced a little over 15 cm. It may be possible to find thin wind slabs in the alpine and treeline in isolated areas.

Below the crust, 10-60 cm well settled snow and old crust layers sit above the thick late-January crust which extends to mountain top elevations on all aspects. The mid and lower snowpack is considered well settled and strong. 

Shallow snow cover at low elevations leaves many hazards like stumps and creeks exposed at or just below the snow surface.

• Although their spatial distribution is isolated, wind slabs are reactive.
• When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.