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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 31st, 2024–Apr 1st, 2024

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

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Warming can rapidly destabilize the snowpack.

Back off slopes when the snow gets moist and give cornices a lot of space.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

We expect warm temperatures and rising freezing levels may quickly destabilize the snowpack during the day producing a wet avalanche problem.

Snowpack Summary

A variable crust covers most surfaces, this crust will quickly break down during the day. Dry snow may persist on the highest north-facing alpine slopes, but this will become increasingly harder to find as above 0 °C temperatures reach mountain tops.

Wet surface snow or an isothermal snowpack may be found as temperatures rise. The mid and lower snowpack is generally settled and strong. At lower elevations, spring is quickly approaching.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Mostly clear with patchy clouds. Northwest ridgetop wind 20 to 40 km/h. Treeline temperature low +1 °C. Freezing level near 2300 m.

Monday

Sunny with patchy clouds. Northwest ridgetop wind 25 to 45 km/h. Treeline temperature high +10 °C. Freezing level reaching 3000 m.

Tuesday

Partly cloudy with rain and wet flurries, 5 to 15 mm. Southwest ridgetop wind gusting to 80 km/h. Treeline temperature +5 °C. Freezing level to 1500 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 5 cm. Southwest ridgetop wind 15 to 25 km/h. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level falling.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

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.