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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 24th, 2022–Dec 25th, 2022

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

Regions

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Avalanche hazard will remain elevated with continued precipitation, strong wind, and rising freezing levels.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No notable recent avalanches have been reported, however poor weather and road closures have limited observations.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Above the rain-snow line, 15-20 cm of fresh snow accumulated around the region by Saturday.

Fresh snow covered a layer of facetted and unconsolidated snow which formed during the recent cold weather. Steady southwest winds are impacting loose snow and ongoing flurries.

Rain at lower elevations has begun to saturate the snowpack. Freezing levels are forecast to rise, we can expect to see moist surface snow reach all elevations.

The snowpack is generally well settled and bonding well. Snowpack depths reach 200 cm at treeline and higher.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Rain and wet flurries, 10-20 mm, snow-rain line between 1600-2100 m. Ridgetop low temperature -1 C. Southwest wind 30-50 km/hr. Warm air aloft could bring freezing levels above 2000 m.

Sunday

Continued precipitation and rising freezing levels will produce a variety of frozen water forms including freezing rain at roadside elevations.

Wet flurries and rain, 5-10 mm. Ridgetop high temperature +2 C. Southwest wind 25-50 km/hr. Freezing level rising above 2000 m at the end of the day.

Monday

Heavy rain with freezing levels spiking above 2500 m, 15-30 mm. Ridgetop high temperatures +3 C. Southwest wind 40-60 km/hr.

Tuesday

Rain showers turn to snow as temperatures drop overnight, with 10 cm possible by morning. Ridgetop high temperature +2 C. Southwest wind 30-50 km/hr. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Minimize exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind or rain.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.

Problems

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.

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.