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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 2nd, 2024–Dec 3rd, 2024

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

The likelihood of wet loose avalanches will increase with each successive day of warm weather.

Monitor the conditions and back off steep slopes as the surface becomes wet or slushy.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported in the last 2 days. With rising temperatures, we expect that wet loose avalanches will become more likely. Warming signs of instability such as tree bombs and pinwheels were observed throughout the region this weekend.

If you are going out in the backcountry, please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network (MIN) report.

Snowpack Summary

Rising freezing levels will start melting the surface snow. Expect this wet layer to get deeper as the trend continues for the next few days.

Up to 30 cm of snow at upper elevations may be covering surface hoar on sheltered features and a sun crust on steep south-facing terrain.

We are not tracking any concerning weak layers in the mid or lower snowpack at this time.

Snow depths vary across the region. Currently, near Mt. Washington, 135 cm is reported at 1100 m, and 250 cm at 1500 m.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4°C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature: +6°C. Freezing level 2700 to 3000 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +8°C. Freezing level 3000 to 3200 m.

Thursday

5 to 10 mm of rain. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4°C. Freezing level 2500 to 3000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
  • Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.

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.