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

Dec 6th, 2021–Dec 7th, 2021

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

Regions

South Coast Inland.

We have very limited information on current conditions in the region. If you find your way into the mountains, please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network!

Confidence

Low - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

Monday night: Cloudy. Moderate southwest wind. Treeline high temperatures around -8.

Tuesday: Cloudy with flurries starting in the late afternoon. Strong southwest wind. Treeline high temperatures around -3. Freezing level 800 m in the north, 1300 m in the south.

Wednesday: New snow 10-20 cm. Strong southwest wind. Treeline high temperatures around -8.

Thursday: Flurries up to 5 cm. Light to moderate westerly wind. Treeline high temperatures around -12.

Avalanche Summary

Over the weekend, some loose dry sluffing and thin soft slab reactivity were seen in steep terrain and near ridge crests in the neighboring Sea to Sky region. The most recent reports we have from the inland are of explosives producing a size 2 wind slab avalanche in the Hurley last Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

Recent weather patterns have resulted in varied conditions between the north and south of the region. 

The south, having endured warmer temperatures and more rainfall, is largely below threshold for avalanches at most elevations. Surface snow has seen extensive wind effect, scouring the crust clean in some areas, while piling up to 40 cm over it in others.

In the north, a skiff of snow may be sitting over a layer of surface hoar crystals, older wind affected snow in the alpine, a thick crust below 1800 m or a combination of these.

A couple of buried weak layers produced large avalanches during a previous storm. Snowpack models and observations in the neighboring Sea to Sky region indicate that these layers have been reset by previous rain at treeline, but uncertainty remains around their status in the alpine. These include a layer of surface hoar down an estimated 90-120 cm and deeper crust/facet combo layer.

Average snowpack depths in the alpine are now likely closer to 150-200 cm. Below treeline, depths of 30-50 cm have been reported around 500 m, decreasing dramatically with elevation, and still below threshold for avalanches in many areas.

Terrain and Travel

  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • Even a small avalanche can be harmful if it pushes you into an obstacle or a terrain trap.

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.