Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, South Coast Inland, Stein, Taseko.
Forecast 10 to 20 cm of snow and southerly wind on Sunday may form fresh wind slabs at upper elevations.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, no new avalanches were reported.
NOTE: Observations are currently very limited in this region.
Snowpack Summary
Forecast 10 to 20 cm of snow and southerly wind on Sunday may form fresh wind slabs at upper elevations.
These slabs will overlie mostly crusty surfaces other than northerly aspects in the alpine where the snow surface remained dry.
Persistent weak layers from January, February, and March are buried 50 to 150 cm deep across the region, though their current reactivity remains uncertain.
At lower elevations, the rain-saturated snowpack thins quickly with elevation.
Weather Summary
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Sunday
Moslty cloudy with flurries, 10 to 20 cm snow above 1700 m, rain below. Another 10 to 20 cm of snow overnight. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Monday
Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm snow. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
- Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
- Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Forecast 10 to 20 cm of snow and southerly wind on Sunday may form fresh wind slabs at upper elevations.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Persistent Slabs
Human-triggered persistent slab avalanches may still be possible on high north-facing slopes. They are most likely to be triggered by cornice falls or smaller avalanches in motion.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3
Cornices
Cornices will become weak with sun and daytime warming. A cornice failure has the potential to trigger a persistent slab avalanche on the slope below.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5