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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 24th, 2014–Feb 25th, 2014

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

Regions

Sea To Sky.

Don't let blue skies and fresh snow lure you into big terrain! A buried persistent weak layer is still lurking and could wake up with forecast sunshine and rapidly rising temperatures. 

Confidence

Fair

Weather Forecast

Synopsis: A building upper ridge of high pressure will result in drier conditions and more sunshine for the next several days. Temperatures will also increase dramatically by Tuesday. Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. The freezing level jumps as high as 2500 m with treeline temps around +3. Winds are light and variable. Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. The freezing level jumps remains near 2500 m with treeline temps ranging from +5. Winds are light and variable.Thursday: Cloudy with sunny breaks and a chance of light precipitation. The freezing level is near 2000 m.

Avalanche Summary

There was a report of a size 2 remotely triggered slab avalanche in the Whistler backcountry on Saturday. The slab depth was reported to be approximately 1.5 m deep, likely failing on a facet/crust combo. There was also a report of a size 2 accidentally skier triggered avalanche in the Blackcomb backcountry on Friday. Check out Wayne Flann's Avalanche Blog for photos of both of these incidents. Expect loose dry avalanches in steep terrain and the potential for triggering thin wind slabs in exposed lee terrain, especially on steep and unsupported slopes.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50 cm of cold low density snow has fallen in the past few days, with light winds forming fresh thin wind slabs near ridge crests. The prominent mid-February weakness, which is primarily a facet/crust combo (with surface hoar in some areas), is now 80-160 cm deep depending on wind exposure. Recent snowpack tests give variable results on this layer, but some observers are still reporting sudden "pops or drops" shears and continue to experience whumpfs. Previous strong winds created wind slabs in exposed lee and cross-loaded terrain, which are now hidden by the dry new snow. The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well-settled. Basal facets and depth hoar are likely to exist in some parts of the region; however, skier triggering has become unlikely.

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.

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.

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.