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Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 8th, 2024–Mar 9th, 2024
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be considerable
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Regions: Howson, Kitimat, Nass, Northwest Coastal, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart.

Travelling in avalanche terrain in the alpine is not recommended. At treeline and below, make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday a couple of small (size 1) skier triggered avalanches occurred.On Tuesday and Wednesday, a few large (up to size 2) natural and human-triggered avalanches continued to occur.

Some reports are of remotely triggered avalanches, which indicate a sensitive snowpack and the need for conservative terrain choices, especially with increased load from new snow and wind.

Click on the photos below for more details.

Snowpack Summary

Storm totals should reach 40 to 60 cm by Saturday morning. Strong southerly winds are expected to create deeper, more reactive deposits in leeward terrain, possibly further downslope than expected.

Several persistent weak layers are likely buried between 70 and 150 cm deep. These weak layers include hard crusts with overlying weak facets and surface hoar. Avalanches continue to fail on these layers, including remote triggering and very large step-down avalanches.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy. 3 to 12 cm of snow expected. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline low around -3 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy. 0 to 1 cm of snow expected. 15 to 30 km/h westerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -2 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow expected. 60 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -1 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow expected. 40 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline high around -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.
  • Caution required around non obvious avalanche terrain like road cutbanks, cutblocks and other non obvious avalanche terrain
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Avalanche Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent weak layers including crust/facet combos and buried surface hoar continue producing surprising avalanches. These weak layers will get easier to trigger and will produce larger avalanches as new snow piles up.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Likely

Expected Size: 2 - 3

Storm Slabs

New snow and wind are making natural avalanches likely, and human triggered avalanches very likely. Due to strong winds, slabs will be most reactive on northerly aspects.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Very Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2.5