Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.
Moist snow and a breakable melt-freeze crust make for tough travel conditions.
If you venture at higher elevations, watch for small pockets of wind slabs further downslope than normal.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported in the region since Monday. Several loose wet avalanches were observed on steep southwesterly and westerly aspects around 1600 m, but most likely occurred during this past weekend. Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network. It helps strengthen our data gathering.
Snowpack Summary
Light snowfalls (5-10 cm) have fallen at upper elevation since the weekend. Ongoing southerly winds have scoured south-facing and east-facing slopes. Evidence of cross-loading is also found on any open slopes. A new melt-freeze crust has formed on the surface up to between 1000 and 1500 m. Moist and heavy snow is found at lower elevations.
In sheltered terrain, around 30 to 70 cm overlies a rain crust that formed in late December. The mid-snowpack is well-settled. The lower snowpack consists of several crusts with weak faceted crystals above and below that are beginning to heal and bond to each other.
Snowpack depths are roughly 145 to 185 cm at treeline and taper rapidly below 1500 m.
Weather Summary
Overcast skies and dry conditions are expected until a deeper system will push into the region early Thursday. Moderate snowfalls and rising freezing levels will last until Saturday.
Tuesday night
Partly cloudy, no precipitations, light southeasterly winds, freezing levels around 1000 m, low of -6C at treeline.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds, no precipitation, light southeasterly winds, freezing levels around 1200 m, high of -2C at treeline.
Thursday
Rain 10-15 mm, wet snow at upper elevations only, moderate southeasterly winds gusting 60 km/h, freezing levels around 2000 m, high of +3C at treeline.
Friday
Rain 10-15 mm, wet snow at upper elevations only, moderate southeasterly winds gusting 45 km/h, freezing levels around 2000 m, high of +3C at treeline.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Remember that the snowpack will be significantly different at higher elevations than lower down.
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
- Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Previous winds have created isolated small pockets of wind slabs in alpine and open terrain at treeline. Expect to find wind slabs further downslope than normal as winds were strong. Keep exercising caution around ridge lines and cross-loaded features where wind slabs are most likely to get triggered.
Aspects: North, North East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5