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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2024–Apr 22nd, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Be wary of wind slabs in steep terrain and minimize your overhead exposure during the heat of the day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

We haven't received any recent reports of avalanche activity. Looking forward, avalanche activity is possible on Monday at higher elevations. Humans could trigger wind slabs in lee terrain features near ridges. Warming and intense sun will wet the snow on sun-exposed slopes, increasing the likelihood of wet loose avalanches and cornice falls.

Snowpack Summary

Around 15 cm of snow accumulated above 1200 m on Saturday. The snow fell with strong westerly wind, which may have formed wind slabs in lee terrain features near ridges. The snow fell onto wet snow and a hard melt-freeze crust. Warming and periods of strong sun will rapidly wet the snow on sun-exposed slopes.

The remainder of the snowpack is strong.

There is insufficient snow to form avalanches for most below treeline locations.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Monday

Partly cloudy. 10 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1700 m.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.