Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2019–Apr 24th, 2019

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.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Sea To Sky.

Wind slabs may react to human triggers around ridges and immediate lee features. Loose wet avalanches remain a concern, especially on sunny slopes.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, light to moderate west wind, alpine temperature -6 C, freezing level 800 m.

WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and clouds, light northeast  wind, alpine temperature -1 C, freezing level 1800 m.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods, light southeast wind, alpine temperature +1 C, freezing level 2000 m.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods, light to moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature +1 C, freezing level 2000 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday morning around the Whistler Backcountry, a natural wet loose avalanche cycle to size 2 was observed on all aspects from 1900-2200m. Wet slab avalanches to size 3 were observed on loaded northerly features in the alpine. Natural cornices failures to size 2 were also observed and explosives control work triggered cornices size 2-2.5. Further south in the region, cornices failing naturally triggered large (up to size 3) slab avalanches on the slopes below. Avalanche reports tapered Sunday.

More recently, isolated wind loaded pockets of moist slab have produced small propagations and loose wet avalanches are reported with daytime warming.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine, up to 10 cm cold wind-affected snow is holding onto northerly aspects. Southerly winds have produced isolated drifts around ridges and in immediate lees at upper elevations, cornices have been touchy recently.

A crust is found on solar alpine slopes and all aspects below. Warm overnight temperatures are preventing strong crust recovery as you lose elevation. Expect thin surface crusts to break down quickly with daytime warming. Below treeline the snowpack is saturated and rapidly melting.

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.