Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Thursday

Wednesday: Starting off clear and cold but clouds should develop around noon. Afternoon temperatures will rise. The region should stay dry until Wednesday night. Thursday: Light snowfall with 5 cm expected. Freezing levels around 800 m. Friday: Models are in disagreement, but amounts of 10-15 cm new snow, strong southwest winds and freezing levels spiking to 1200 m is the most likely scenario at this time.

Glide crack activity up to size 2.5 has been reported recently in the Coquilhalla at treeline and below. Glide avalanches are hard to predict but often happen during periods of warm weather or when the sun is shining. Avoid riding in terrain below glide cracks, or below slopes comprised of smooth rock slabs. No other avalanche activity has been reported.

A skiff of snow has buried an assortment of old snow surfaces comprising, depending on location, crusts, old wind slab, surface hoar and surface facets. The crusts formed on all aspects at lower elevations and on steep solar aspects higher up. Old wind slabs were on a variety of aspects behind exposed terrain features, and were particularly prominent in the Coquihalla due to outflow winds. The surface hoar (5-10mm) was most prominent at and above the recent cloud associated with inversion conditions. Surface facets have grown particularly on northern aspects where colder temperatures have persisted. In general the snowpack is now well bonded in most locations.