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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 1st, 2025–Jan 2nd, 2025

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, 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.

Regions

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

10 to 20 cm of new snow with strong southwest wind are forecast. Avoid lee slopes, especially if you see blowing snow forming new wind slabs.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Recent reported avalanche activity has been limited to loose dry sluffing, and small rider-triggered wind slabs in lee terrain features at upper elevations. See photo below for an example. Thank you to all of the wonderful MIN users who submitted their observations over the 2024 season! We look forward to more of your reports in 2025.

Snowpack Summary

10 to 20 cm of new snow with moderate to strong southwest wind, is forecast for overnight and throughout the day Thursday. The higher amounts are expected on the western parts of the Island.

This new snow will add to the current 20 to 30 cm of settling storm snow. 50 to 80 cm of older snow from last weekend is settling and bonding well to an underlying crust.

Below 1300 m, surfaces may be moist or crusty.

The remainder of the snowpack has no current layers of concern.

Snowpack depths at treeline are approximately 200 cm on the north and south Island, and 300 cm on the central Island.

Weather Summary

Wednesday night

Cloudy, with 2 to 10 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

Thursday

Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.

Friday

Cloudy with 10 to 20 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.

Saturday

Cloudy with 7 to 15 cm of snow. 50 to 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Pay attention to the wind; once it starts to blow, sensitive wind slabs are likely to form.
  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Problems

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.