A significant storm with heavy precipitation amounts and high freezing levels will result in a major avalanche cycle on Wednesday.
Summary
Confidence
Good - -1
Weather Forecast
An intense storm will bring heavy amounts of precipitation-expect around 25 mm Tuesday night and 30-40 mm on Wednesday. Freezing levels will rise to around 1500 m and then start to fall on Wednesday afternoon as a cold front passes over. The passage of the cold front will bring a further 10-20 mm precipitation for Thursday. Ridgetop winds will be extreme (up to 140 km/h) initially from the southwest, then becoming westerly. On Friday, another frontal system hits the coastal region bringing heavy precipitation near the coast and moderate amounts further inland.
Avalanche Summary
A few natural size 1-1.5 windslabs were observed in the last 24 hours near Stewart.A natural size 1.5 was observed below treeline near Terrace.
Snowpack Summary
The snow tap is still firmly on in this region, with almost continuous precipitation melding one layer of storm snow into the next. Sunday's storm added a further 45 cm of new snow to the ever increasing total; snow depths are currently at record levels for this time of year. Strong southwest to westerly winds have set up touchy windslabs on lee slopes. Large sensitive cornices exist. Expect further significant wind and storm slab development with the forecast weather.Previous weak layers in the midpack, including a surface hoar are gaining strength and becoming too deeply buried to be a concern except from very heavy loads (such as a cornice fall). The lower snowpack is generally well settled and strong.
jfloyer,
Avalanche Canada
