Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 6th, 2021 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
ahanna,
Avalanche Canada
Watch for wind slabs at upper elevations. A buried weak layer is still present but has become difficult to trigger.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
Saturday night: Clearing, moderate northwest ridgetop wind, treeline temperature -5, freezing level 300 m.
Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest ridgetop wind, treeline high -5, freezing level 500 m.
Monday: Mix of sun and cloud, light variable ridgetop wind, treeline high -7, freezing level 300 m.
Monday: Mix of sun and cloud, light northerly ridgetop wind, treeline high -9, freezing level valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
Human triggered storm slab avalanches remain possible in wind loaded areas at upper elevations. The buried persistent weak layer may still be possible to trigger in areas that have not already avalanched.
A busy week for avalanche activity in the South Coast mountains culminated in a widespread natural avalanche cycle, with avalanches up to size 3, on Monday night. Most of these avalanches failed on the persistent weak layer. This was likely the peak of the avalanche activity associated with this layer.
North Shore Rescue responded to a serious, but non-fatal avalanche incident last Tuesday evening near Cypress Mountain Resort. One person was involved and was partially buried. The avalanche was size 2 on a west aspect at approximately 1100 m.
Snowpack Summary
Recent wind has varied in direction, likely depositing snow into wind slabs in lee terain features on a variety of aspects at upper elevations. 100-150 cm of snow sits over a widespread persistent weak layer. This weak layer consists of a thick crust with weak facets and/or surface hoar on top of it in many areas. Most terrain features where this layer presented an avalanche problem have been cleaned out in a previous avalanche cycle. Where it remains buried, this layer is becoming more difficult to trigger due to bridging by overlying dense snow and crusts especially at lower elevations.
Click here to watch North Shore Rescue's snowpack conditions update from Friday.
Terrain and Travel
- Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Be aware of highly variable recent wind loading patterns.
- Conditions may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs may remain triggerable by humans. Be aware of the potential for wind loading in atypical terrain features due to recent variable wind directions.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 7th, 2021 4:00PM
