Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 2nd, 2015 8:43AM

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

ghelgeson, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Coastal.

Watch for thin wind slabs if you're traveling in the alpine Tuesday.

Summary

Confidence

Good - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

High and dry conditions remain in place until Wednesday evening when a storm is expected to impact the region with potentially significant precipitation amounts. Tuesday: Clear skies. Light NW winds at treeline, Moderate NW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 800m, returning to valley bottom overnight. No significant precipitation. Wednesday: Increasing cloud cover. Light W winds at treeline, Moderate to Strong NW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 800m, lowering to 500m overnight. No significant precipitation. Wednesday Night: 1 to 5cm of snow. Thursday: 5 to 20cm of snow. Strong SW winds at treeline, Strong to Extreme SW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 1500m, remaining at 1500m Thursday night.

Avalanche Summary

A size 3 avalanche was observed from a steep un-skiable solar aspect over the weekend.Â Last week, several full-depth avalanches up to size 3 were observed on all but north aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Keep an eye out for cornices, which may collapse. Small wind slabs can be found on some lee alpine slopes. On other slopes, variable surfaces include a skiff of recent snow, a sun crust or old rain crust, surface hoar, and/or surface facets. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Winds out of the North and Northwest have created small new wind slabs on lee and cross-loaded slopes. These can be triggered by the weight of a person. Also, keep an eye out for large unstable cornices that threaten your route.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 3rd, 2015 2:00PM