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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 13th, 2024–Mar 14th, 2024

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Avoid all avalanche terrain. A widespread avalanche cycle is expected.

The reactivity of touchy persistent slabs will further increase with this incoming warm storm.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

The region saw numerous avalanche activity on Monday-Tuesday. Very large natural persistent slabs and numerous human-triggered continue to be reported (size 2 to 3.5). Several have been remotely triggered from low-angle terrain onto adjacent slopes. Most were reported from treeline and above, but all aspects showed reactivity.

With this incoming storm, we expect a widespread avalanche cycle on slopes that did not avalanche yet.

Snowpack Summary

40 to 80 cm of settled storm snow has formed reactive slabs across the region. This snow has also been redistributed by southerly winds at upper elevations. Several persistent weak layers are now buried between 80 and 160 cm deep, including hard crusts with overlying weak facets and surface hoar. These weak layers have been responsible for continued avalanche activities over the last week.

At lower elevations, the upper snowpack may be moist or crusty.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow expected and rain at lower elevations. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around 0 °C. Freezing level around 1400 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with 10 to 15 cm of new snow expected. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around +3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Friday

Cloudy with no precipitation. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around +5 °C. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and clouds with no precipitation. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around +8 °C. Freezing level around 3000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall.
  • Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches to run full path or even longer.
  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.

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.

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.