Avalanche Forecast

Good

The offshore upper ridge will start to move onto the province pushing the polar front to the North bringing rising freezing levels, and sunny skies Friday afternoon into Saturday. Friday: A mild SW flow will show no new precipitation and ridgetop winds will be light from the West. Alpine temperatures will rise to 3.0 degrees and freezing levels will rise to 2200 m.Saturday: Continued warm temperatures and sunny skies. Alpine temperatures will rise to 4.0 degrees and freezing levels will be near 2100 m. Ridgetop winds will be light from the SW.Sunday: Dominating ridge will start breaking down bringing light-moderate precipitation. Alpine temperatures will drop to -4.0 with freezing levels falling to 1200 m.

From the Northern parts of the region, a natural slab avalanche size 2.5 was reported from a East aspect at 2000 m, failing on the buried surface hoar layer from early January. This layer has been fairly quiet recently, goes to show it may still be reactive in isolated areas. Another noted size 2.0 slab avalanche failed on the recent buried weakness from a NNW aspect around 1600 m.Several rider triggered slab avalanches up to size 2.0 have been reported south of the Coquihalla. These avalanches were triggered from SE-E aspects  at 1600-1700 m, failing on the most recently buried crust/surface hoar/facet layer.

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 forecast rising alpine temperatures and sunny skies will affect and weaken the upper snowpack. 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 NW-SW. 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.