Avalanche forecast

South Coast Inland

Jan 19, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Heavy loading from snow, wind and rain is driving avalanche danger up.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    New snow is bonding poorly to the previous snow surface. Expected avalanche likelihood and size to increase with increased snow and wind-loading. Slabs will be particulary deep and touchy on wind-loaded northerly aspects near ridge crests.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Where freezing levels are high and precipitation falls as rain, watch out for loose wet (slushy) snow, especially near gully and cliff features.

Confidence

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY: Flurries with up to 5 cm of accumulation ending in the afternoon. Winds easing to moderate from the southwest. Freezing level around 1300m.FRIDAY: Scattered flurries with some sunny breaks, freezing levels around 1200m with moderate winds gusting strong from the southwest.SATURDAY:  Mainly cloudy with the possibility of isolated flurries, light south wind and freezing level remaining around 1200m, but cooler overnight temperatures.More details can be found on the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Avalanche Summary

Reports from Tuesday include widespread natural wet slab avalanches up to Size 3, and loose wet activity up to Size 2, in the southern part of the region. Meanwhile in the northern parts initial reports include widespread storm slab avalanches up to Size 2.5.

Snowpack Summary

SOUTHERN AREAS (e.g. Coquihalla): Heavy rain up to treeline elevations is likely soaking a previous surface crust that extended up to 1650m or multiple wind slab layers on southerly aspects from the arctic outbreak events in December & January. These lingering wind slabs will likely remain reactive with the incoming precipitation (whether it falls as rain or snow) so use extra caution in your terrain choice. NORTHERN AREAS (e.g. Duffey Lake): By Wednesday morning abother 35 cm of fresh snow added to the previous 35-50 cm, which was all redistributed by moderate to strong southerly winds. This has resulted in touchy storm and wind slabs bonding poorly to the previous snow surface that includes facets and large surface hoar on sheltered slopes and/or a sun crust on steep sun-exposed aspects, as well as wind-affected surfaces (e.g. hard wind slab, sastrugi, scoured crust, etc.) in exposed areas.

Regions covered