Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 15th, 2023–Apr 16th, 2023

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 unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Sea To Sky, Brandywine, Garibaldi, Homathko, Spearhead, Tantalus, Sky Pilot.

Avoid avalanche terrain. Rapid loading from snowfall and wind is likely to induce a natural avalanche cycle.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No significant avalanches were reported in the past couple days but observations are limited this time of year.

We expect that a natural avalanche cycle could take place on Sunday.

If you are venturing into the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

New snow accompanied by southerly winds will overlie a crust at treeline and below. In the alpine this new snow will fall on a variety of surfaces including dry snow and wind slab on the north and crust and wind pressed surfaces on the south.

Several crusts can be found in the upper snowpack. A well settled snowpack exists below.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of dense new snow expected. Strong southerly winds and freezing level around 1300 m with the snowline around 900 m.

Sunday

Stormy with 10 to 20 cm of dense new snow expected. Moderate to strong southerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1600 m with the snowline around 1000 m.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow expected. Moderate southeast winds and a high of -4°C at 1800 m.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy with up to 10 cm of new snow possible. Light to moderate southerly winds and a High of -5°C at 1800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall.
Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.
As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
Be careful to keep storm day fever from luring you out into bigger terrain features.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.