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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 12th, 2025–Mar 13th, 2025

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Northwest Inland, Boundary, Stewart, Kispiox, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Natural persistent slab avalanche activity has tapered, however a cautious approach is warranted as there is still potential for human triggered persistent slabs.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Recent reports from the past few days indicate wind slab and persistent slab avalanche activity to size 1.5 and 2 in the alpine. These were reported as natural and skier triggered, were 20-40 cm deep and were all suspected of running on surface hoar crystals buried early March. A few of these were remotely triggered (from a distance).

Snowpack Summary

20-40 cm of recent snow is being redistributed by primarily southerly winds. This new snow fell on a widespread layer of large surface hoar crystals, which sits on a crust on solar aspects and at low elevations. This layer has been reactive in recent days where a slab has consolidated above.

A layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust from mid-February is buried 50 to 100 cm deep. This layer produced large natural and human-triggered avalanches last week.

The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated with no concerns at this time.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h east and northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. 15 to 25 km/h south and southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Be aware of the potential for larger than expected storm slabs due to buried surface hoar.
  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.