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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 20th, 2025–Jan 21st, 2025

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

Regions

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Howson, Microwave-Sinclair.

Avalanche activity has decreased, but reactivity may remain in wind-affected areas.

Seek out sheltered terrain if winds are moving snow and forming fresh slabs.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity has tapered since the storm with several riders triggered wind slabs in steep cross loaded features at higher elevations on Sunday.

During the storm, size 3 avalanches were observed, running on the buried weak layer 100-200 cm deep. Uncertainty exists over the ongoing reactivity of this layer.

Snowpack Summary

Light amounts of new snow sit over a large surface hoar layer on shaded slopes, and a crust on sun affected slopes. Up to 80 cm of recent settling storm snow can be found in sheltered areas, and variable wind affect in exposed terrain. Snow snow amounts taper rapidly with elevation to a firm melt freeze crust.

50 to 100 cm deep a layer of surface hoar, facets, or a thin crust exists. Reports suggest this layer is bonding well.

However, another persistent weak layer of surface hoar, facets and a crust is buried 120 to 200 cm deep. This layer produced large avalanches during the recent storm, and uncertainty exists over it's continued reactivity.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Cloudy. Up to 5 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures -5 °C.

Tuesday

Cloudy with possible flurries. 30 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Wednesday

Cloudy with 10 cm of snow for most areas, while coastal terrain may see up to 30 cm. 60 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Thursday

Cloudy. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger 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.