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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 27th, 2025–Feb 28th, 2025

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

Regions

South Coast Inland, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Persistent weak layers are scary and will be more concerning in warm weather.

Rider-triggered avalanches are likely and could be very destructive.

Be mindful of overhead hazards.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Strong solar input from Wednesday triggered large persistent slab avalanches (up to size 3) with impressive propagation on alpine slopes. Natural widespread avalanches have been observed continually since Sunday.

Scary large avalanches (size 2.5) were remotely triggered by riders on northerly alpine and treeline slopes. They were triggered 100 to 400 m away and failed on a preserved surface hoar layer, down 60 to 90 cm.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50 to 60 cm of settling snow covers weak surfaces, including surface hoar or facets in sheltered, shaded areas, and sun crusts on sun-affected slopes. This layer has caused several large remote triggers continually since Sunday. Professionals are concerned about this layer as numerous avalanches are observed on it.

A thin sun crust is visible up to 2000 m on southerly slopes, while extensive strong southerly winds have redistributed recent snow, and scoured exposed areas at treeline and alpine.

A hard crust from late January lies 40 to 80 cm deep beneath weak facets and isolated surface hoar, with recent avalanches failing on it, especially near Whistler.

The snowpack below is strong.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries. 15 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2°C. Freezing level around 1500 m.

Friday

Mix of sun and clouds. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4°C. Freezing level around 2500 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and clouds. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4°C. Freezing level reaching 2500 m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2°C. Freezing level around 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Remote triggering is a concern; avoid terrain where triggering overhead slopes is possible.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

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.

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.