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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 4th, 2022–Feb 5th, 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 avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island.

Use caution at all elevations. Carefully assess how much snow has fallen in your area and keep an eye on the temperatures throughout the day.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Friday night: flurries with moderate westerly winds. Freezing levels around 1100m.

Saturday: no new snow expected. Moderate northwest winds in the morning shifting to southwest in the afternoon with freezing levels rising to 2000m.

Sunday: light flurries in the evening. Moderate to strong winds from the south and freezing levels around 2000 m.

Monday: light precipitation and light to moderate southwest winds. freezing level around 1500 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday our field team observed several loose wet avalanches up to size 1.5 in the treeline and above. Ski cutting produced small wet slabs running on a crust down 15cm at 1100m.

Snowpack Summary

Recent snowfall will have formed storm and wind slabs at treeline and above. Below this a 1 cm thick crust can be found up to 1400 m.

Another crust can be found down 30 to 50 cm that extends up to mountain tops.

Moist snow surfaces can be found at and below treeline from rain and warm temperatures.

The mid and lower snow pack is well settled but shallow at low elevations leaving many hazards just below the surface.

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid freshly wind loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

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.