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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2025–Apr 6th, 2025

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

Coquihalla, Manning, Skagit.

Forecast rain to mountaintops may trigger wet loose avalanches on all aspects.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, numerous naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported.

NOTE: Observations are currently very limited in this region.

Snowpack Summary

Forecast 5 to 15 mm of rain to mountain tops on Sunday will create wet snow surfaces.

An old persistent weak layer may still be present 100 to 150 cm below the surface on high north-facing slopes.

Treeline elevations still hold over 200 cm of snow, but coverage is rapidly thinning at lower elevations.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2900 m.

Sunday

Mix of sun and cloud with 5 to 15 mm rain. Another 5 to 15 mm rain overnight. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Monday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 5 to 10 cm snow. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.