Avalanche forecast

South Coast

Mar 21 – 22, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 11 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Posted Danger Ratings are for the northern part of the region. A storm may pass through the Coquihalla area on Monday night and Tuesday. Pay close attention to local weather conditions and be prepared to back off to simple terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Snow accumulations from Sunday are expected to strengthen rather quickly. That said, wind slabs may remain sensitive to human triggering in high elevation, wind-exposed terrain. In the Coquihalla area, ongoing storm loading is possible on Tuesday.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–5
    Some cornices are larger than a bus, and could easily collapse under the weight of a person, or with daytime warming. Give these monsters a wide berth when traveling on or below ridge crests.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Brief periods of solar radiation are possible on Tuesday. If this happens, pushy loose wet avalanches will become a concern in sun-exposed terrain.

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday

Weather Forecast

On Tuesday expect generally overcast skies with isolated flurries. On Wednesday a Pacific system will bring 5-15cm of new snow to the region. Light flurries are forecast for Thursday. Ridgetop winds will be light on Tuesday, and then become moderate and southwesterly with Wednesday's precipitation. Freezing levels should hover between 1200 and 1300m for the forecast period.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported, but this may speak more to a lack of observations rather than actual conditions.

Snowpack Summary

On Sunday night the region received up to 15cm of new snow with highest amounts falling in the northern parts of the region (areas accessed from the Pemberton Valley). Further south in the Coquihalla area, it rained to ridgetop and depending on the current temperature, surfaces are either moist or refrozen. Where it did snow, moderate southerly winds formed soft slabs which seemed most reactive in lee alpine terrain. The new snow overlies a sun crust on sun-exposed slopes, dry settled powder on shady slopes and moist snow below 1800m. Below the new snow the snowpack is strong and well-settled throughout with no notable persistent weaknesses. Cornices are huge and fragile.

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