Regions
Vancouver Island.
Thursday am avalanche control at Mount Washington reported a few explosive triggered size one very soft slabs and Ski cutting widespread loose dry avalanches size one. No other reports or observations.
Past Weather
A period of intense snowfall and strong south wind.
Weather Forecast
Friday all is quite on the storm front and the freezing levels will maintain at sea level. Weather expected to ramp up for Saturday and Sunday as a strong southwest flow continues bring to the forecast area moderate to heavy precipitation amounts. Freezing levels expected at 500 m Saturday morning and will begin to rise to above 1500 m by Sunday.Friday 5 to 10 cm snow , Winds Moderate from the South , Freezing levels sea level.Saturday 40 to 60 cm snow, Winds Strong from the South, Freezing levels 900 meters.Sunday 40 to 60 mm precipitation , Winds Strong from the South, Freezing levels 1700 meters.
Terrain Advice
Careful and selective route finding combined with conservative decision making is essential as storm snow settles.Seek sheltered and low angle terrain during the incoming storm events, ensure avoidance of overhead hazard.During periods of high hazard, travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Snowpack Summary
New snow and cold conditions with plenty of wind 60 plus centimeters in all the forecasts region areas. Old exposed hard crust surfaces in exposed alpine terrain has now been buried as the wind had intensely transported the available new upper snow. Freezing levels remained low, but early Thursday morning an upper warm front brought increasingly warm temperatures and continued and sustained south west wind. These conditions supported the development of both new storm slabs and wind slabs on North aspects. South aspects, endured a period of warming with the upper surface snow becoming moist, all terrain protected from the sun remained preserved. Mid pack, a coupe of melt freeze crusts, with embedded facets and surface hoar, both are settling and becoming less reactive.The lower snow pack is predominantly well settled and dense, with the exception of upper alpine terrain in isolated features that are exposed to wind and unsupported. Theses features continue to harbor a basal instability that is dormant but may wake after an extreme loading event of spring warm up.
Snowpack Details
- Surface: New low density snow and a variety of surfaces from hard slab to exposed crust.
- Upper: Moist and settling.
- Mid: A variety of melt freeze crusts can be found.
- Lower: Dense and settled with a faceted basal instability found on isolated features in the upper alpine.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast models all agree on high precipitation amounts and rising freezing levels.
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.
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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 Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.