Avalanche Forecast
Regions: South Coast.
Confidence
Good - -1
Weather Forecast
There is a band of warm air at higher elevations that may keep temperatures in the alpine quite warm overnight; probably about -3.0 at 2500 metres. Clear skies should allow the valleys to get slightly below freezing. Friday is expected to be warm with light southerly winds and mostly sunny skies. Temperatures should drop to near freezing in the valley bottoms overnight. Light upslope precipitation is expected to bring trace amounts of snow on Saturday. Sunday is expected to be mostly clear with light winds and freezing levels up to about 1200 metres.
Avalanche Summary
Some loose dry sloughing from shaded slopes in the alpine. A large natural ice release occurred on Wednesday on Mount Joffre. No reports of avalanches from the Coquihalla area.
Snowpack Summary
Thin sun crusts are developing on steep solar aspects. The recent storm snow continues to settle and bond in the Duffey Lake area due to the warm temperatures and light winds. Recent cornice growth may be easy to trigger with light loads or from solar radiation. The Coquihalla area is also experiencing warm temperatures and light winds. The freezing level briefly went up to 1700 metres on Thursday. The new storm slab in this area is between 50-80 cm, and the snowpack depth is close to 4 metres.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 4
Storm Slabs
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 5
Cornices
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 2 - 5