Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, South Coast Inland, Stein, Taseko.
Spring is a dynamic time of year; conditions can vary widely and change rapidly. Localized periods of heavy snowfall may form fresh, reactive slabs, while even short periods of strong sun can rapidly destabilize the upper snowpack.
Carefully assess your local conditions and pay attention to how the weather is affecting the snowpack.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Avalanche activity reported Saturday:
natural loose dry avalanches up to size 2
natural loose wet avalanches out of steep solar aspects to size 1
ski cut wind slabs on immediate lees of ridgetops to size 1
Snowpack Summary
A moist or crusty surface may exist on solar aspects and below 1300 m. 10 to 20 cm of recent snow has been wind-affected at upper elevations by previous strong southeast to southwest winds. The recent snow sits over a melt-freeze crust exists on all aspects at treeline and below, and on solar aspects to the mountain top. On high north aspects dry snow remains.
The mid-snowpack is generally strong but the lower snowpack is a different story.
A weak layer of sugary facets is still prominent at the base of the snowpack. Small surface avalanches and cornice falls are the most likely things to trigger this layer. However, there remains a concern for human triggering in rocky, shallow, or thin-to-thick snowpack areas at treeline and above.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Scattered flurries bringing up to 5 cm. Light northeast wind. Alpine low -12 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.
Monday
Mostly sunny. Light northwest wind. Alpine high of -4 °C. Freezing level rises to 1300 m.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud. Light variable wind. Alpine high of -3 °C. Freezing level rises to 1400 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. Light to moderate southwest wind. Alpine high of -4 °C. Freezing level rises to 1300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
10 to 20 cm of recent snow and previous strong southwest wind have built wind slabs in lee terrain features.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5