Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain

Light precipitation and strong southwest winds overnight. Freezing levels in the south around 1500 metres, and in the north closer to 500 metres. Broken skies on Thursday with strong southeast winds and continued warm temperatures. Freezing levels dropping down to near valley bottoms by Friday morning. Light precipitation and moderate southwest winds during the day Friday. Continued unsettled weather on Saturday with light precipitation, moderate winds, and freezing levels rising up to 1000 metres in the afternoon.

No new avalanche observations. A widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 3 took place on Monday in response to recent storm loading and then rain. Avalanche types observed were loose wet, wet slabs, storm slabs and persistent slabs. Cooling will help reduce avalanche activity; however, the forecast cooling trend is so gradual it's tough to say exactly when or to what extent.

Between 18 and 25cm of new snow fell on Sunday. Strong southwest winds shifted these accumulations into reactive wind slabs in higher elevation lee terrain. Rain on Monday, and then rising freezing levels and solar radiation on Tuesday have likely left most surfaces moist or wet. This warming has also had a significant destabilizing effect on the snowpack. Within the top 50cm you may find a layer of surface hoar which was buried at the beginning of February. This layer was observed in the Hankin area and may exist in many other places. The early or mid January surface hoar layer is generally 50-80 cm deep, although it may be buried by well over 100cm of snow in the far west of the region. Observers have found this persistent weakness on all aspects and at all elevations. It consistently produces moderate "pops" results in snowpack tests. Below this, the Boxing Day surface hoar problem may also be lurking. The mid and lower snowpack is generally quite weak and faceted, especially in lower snowpack areas such as the Babines.