Avalanche Forecast

During the storm last week, numerous small (size 1) natural and human-triggered storm slab avalanches were reported in the North Shore mountains. These avalanches occurred at treeline and below treeline on a variety of aspects.

Looking forward, small wet loose avalanches from sun and daytime warming will be the primary concern.

Keep sharing your observations via the MIN; it helps strengthen our information gathering.

Upper snowpack: Large surface hoar has been reported on the surface. Last week's storm snow totals around 50 to 70 cm. This storm arrived warm and mixed with rain near the coast (e.g. North Shore Mountains) and a crust may now exist near the surface. Mid-pack: softer, weaker layers of less cohesive snow around 80 - 100 cm down should be gaining strength as they squish. Lower-pack: a thick melt-freeze crust and increasing strength.

At 1000 m the snowpack depth is around 150 cm. In many areas, below treeline elevations are still below the threshold for avalanches.

Tuesday night

Clear periods. Alpine temperatures drop to a low of -3 °C. Ridge wind light to 20 km/h from the north. Freezing level drops to 500 metres.

Wednesday

Sunny. Alpine temperatures reach a high of 2 °C. Ridge wind light to 25 km/h from the north. Freezing level rises to 1900 metres.

Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperature: reach a high of 5 °C. Mostly 20km/h ridge wind occasionally gusting to 60 km/h from the northwest. Freezing level rises to 2500 metres.

Sunny. Alpine temperatures reach a high of 5 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 40 km/h from the northwest. Freezing level rises to 2400 metres.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
• Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.