Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, South Coast Inland, Stein, Taseko.
Warm temperatures and heavy mixed precipitation has increased avalanche danger at all elevations.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported but observation are limited.
If you go out in the backcountry, please consider sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Snowpack Summary
Overnight heavy rain soaks up to 20 cm of recent storm snow that had been redistributed in to wind slabs by southerly winds in the alpine and treeline. This snow rests over a crust on all aspects below 1800 m.
The mid and lower snowpack consists of various crusts and layers of facets or surface hoar. We are unsure what effects the warming may have on these layers, however, they likely only still exist in the alpine.
Weather Summary
Saturday Night
Mainly cloudy with 20 to 30 mm of mixed precipitation. Southwest alpine wind, 20 to 50 km/h. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Sunday
A mix of sun and clouds, up to 5 mm of rain. South alpine wind, 20 to 40 km/h. Freezing level rising to 2400 m.
Monday
Mainly cloudy, up to 10 mm of rain during the day, with an additional up to 20 mm overnight. South alpine wind, 20 to 60 km/h. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.
Tuesday
Mainly cloudy, up to 5 mm of rain during the day. South alpine wind, 10 to 20 km/h. Freezing level falling to 2000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
- Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Wet
As the freezing level rises and recent snow over a crust becomes moist, wet loose avalanches are very likely.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Treeline, Below Treeline.
Likelihood: Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Storm Slabs
Intense overnight mixed precipitation could form new storm slabs in high alpine terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2