Avalanche Forecast

High - We are confident the likelihood of avalanche will increase with the arrival of the forecast weather.

Thursday night: 30-50 mm of rain to mountain top. Moderate southwest wind. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.

Friday: 60-100 mm of rain to mountain top. Extreme southwest winds. Freezing level 2500 m.

Saturday: 60-120 mm water equivalent in precipitation overnight, mostly falling as rain to mountain top, turning to snow in the early morning above 500 m. Clearing skies. Wind easing to light northwest. Freezing level dropping to 500 m by midday.

Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud with flurries bringing 5-15 cm new snow. Light southwest wind. Freezing level 400 m.

On Wednesday, small (size 1) loose wet avalanches were reactive to skier traffic below 1200 m, running far and entraining mass. Loose wet avalanches are expected at all elevations with heavy rainfall Friday.

The upper snowpack is becoming saturated to mountaintop with heavy rainfall. This will initially mean a loss of cohesion and widespread loose wet avalanche activity. Once refrozen by the following cooling trend, the snowpack will be one burly block with little avalanche potential, 150-250 cm deep around the peaks of the north shore mountains. 

• Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy rain.
• The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.