Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions

A ridge of high pressure seems to be dominating the pattern for the next few days. Weak systems embedded in the flow will bring light amounts of precipitation and a mix of sun and cloud. The ridge will be moving onto the coast Friday bringing sunshine and rising freezing levels.Thursday: Snow amounts near 10 cm for the Coquihalla, with few flurries up on the Duffy, accompanied by moderate-strong Westerly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperatures near -1.0 with freezing levels rising 1400 m. Friday: Mainly sunny with some upper cloud. No precipitation and ridgetop winds blowing light from the SW. Alpine temperatures rising to 2.0 degrees with freezing levels around 2100 m. Saturday: Mainly sunny possible clouds in the afternoon and no precipitation. Ridgetop winds light from the SW. Alpine temperatures near 0.0 degrees and freezing levels rising to 2300 m.

Several rider triggered slab avalanches were initiated on NE-E aspects above 1900 m, all classified as sizze 1.0. The failure plane being the surface hoar/crust/facet layer down 20-40 cm, which has now been buried for a week.

Up to 30 cm of snow fell over the past few days with light to moderate winds. This snow seems to be settling and gaining strength although wind slabs are possible behind ridges and ribs and may be touchy to rider triggers. Wind slabs could also be found in unsuspecting places due to changing winds from SW-NW. Be cautious of cross-loaded terrain features. The new snow has buried a variety of surfaces including old wind slabs, crusts and large surface hoar crystals which can be found in sheltered terrain below treeline. The most recent buried crust/surface hoar down approx. 10-30 cm are producing moderate-sudden planar and resistant test results, and should remain a layer to watch. Down deeper sits another surface hoar layer (40-80 cm) which seems to be gaining strength.Near the base of the snowpack, a crust/facet layer exists, which is now unlikely to be triggered, except perhaps by heavy triggers in unsupported, shallow, rocky terrain where more faceting has taken place.