Avalanche forecast

South Coast Inland

Feb 28, 2019Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 8 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Wind affected snow at upper elevations is the primary concern. Shooting cracks and whumphing are good indicators of unstable snow and wind slabs.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Strong northeast winds have formed reactive wind slabs on southerly slopes and behind terrain features. Pockets of old buried wind slab can be found on all aspects.

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY OVERNIGHT: The Coquihalla and Alison Pass area's can expect light snowfall amounts 5-15 cm overnight with light to moderate southwest winds. The northern part of the region will see less snow 2-10 cm with moderate East windsTHURSDAY: Cloudy with some flurries and ridgetop winds light to moderate from the northwest. Alpine temperatures near -10. FRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop winds light from the northeast and alpine temperatures near -8. Freezing levels 800 m.SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop winds light from the northeast and alpine temperatures near -12.

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, a natural size 2 cornice fall was reported. The cornice dropped onto an East slope but it didn't trigger a slab on the slope below. Natural loose dry sluffing occurred on steeper terrain features and slopes, primarily on southerly aspects.

Snowpack Summary

Recent switching wind has formed pockets of wind slab in exposed terrain on most aspects but currently more reactive to human triggers on southerly aspects. New surface hoar and needle crystals are forming in sheltered locations on most aspects and elevations. Where there is no wind affected snow the top 20 to 40 cm of the snowpack consists of low density snow that is gradually bonding to old hard surfaces that include crusts and wind-packed snow. Low-density snow may sluff easily from these hard surfaces.In some isolated features, the snow has settled into thin slabs above these hard surfaces. However, the remainder of the snowpack is generally well-settled.

Regions covered