Vancouver Island

The avalanche danger should drop quickly with the temperature after a mix of rain and snow.

Expect travel to remain challenging with very little snow around treeline and a crust in the alpine.

With a limited early-season snowpack, there are not many reports from the backcountry. There have been no recent reports of avalanches.

If you head into the mountains, please share any observations or photos on the MIN.

Much of what was gained in snowpack depth on Monday shrunk with the rain that followed. Due to dropping freezing levels, expect a crust on the surface.

Snow depth varies rapidly with elevation. There is no snow below 1000 m, about 20 to 50 cm at treeline, and possibly small pockets of 80-100 cm in the high alpine.

Monday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50-60 km/h west ridgetop wind, easing to 25 km/h by the morning. Freezing level dropping to 1300 m.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 25-45 km/h southwest ridgetop wind in the afternoon. Freezing level 1300 m.

Wednesday
Cloudy. 25 to 50 mm of rain at treeline. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
• A hard crust on the snow surface will help strengthen the snowpack, but may cause tough travel conditions.