Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 8th, 2019 5:10PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Persistent Slabs.

jfloyer, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Coastal.

Watch for the potential for slab avalanches to affect convex features at treeline elevation.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: No precipitation. Calm winds.SATURDAY: Dry and sunny. Treeline temperatures around -5C. Calm.SUNDAY: Around 15 cm new snow. Freezing level around 700 m. Winds increasing 60-80 km/h from the southwest.MONDAY: Around 25 cm new snow. Freezing level around 800 m. Winds 40-60 km/h from the southwest.

Avalanche Summary

Two small (size 1.5) slab avalanches were triggered by separate ski groups on Thursday, one on a northwest aspect at 1250 m and one on a northwest aspect at 1500 m. Both are thought to have released on the mid-february weak layer buried 30-50 cm below the surface.

Snowpack Summary

Scoured surfaces and aging hard wind slabs can be found on all aspects in exposed terrain after a prolonged period of outflow winds. South facing slopes have sun crusts on the surface.Roughly 30-50 cm of snow sits above a layer of cold, soft faceted snow and surface hoar. This layer has been reactive in some snowpack tests and there have been some small slab avalanches noted on this layer. There is potential for this layer to become a larger problem with additional new snow.The lower snowpack is generally considered strong.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Recent avalanche activity suggests the most likely place to trigger an avalanche is on a shady convex slope at treeline.

Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.

Aspects: North, North East, West, North West.

Elevations: Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 9th, 2019 2:00PM