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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 23rd, 2025–Mar 24th, 2025

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Sea To Sky, Brandywine, Garibaldi, Homathko, Spearhead, Tantalus.

During periods of high hazard, avoid all avalanche terrain.

We expect a large natural avalanche cycle with significant precipitation, warming and buried weak layers.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

We expect a large natural avalanche cycle to continue with significant snowfall and strong winds, followed by rain at lower elevations.

On Saturday near Whistler, a natural cornice fall triggered a size 3 slab on the slope below.

Numerous human-triggered size 1.5 storm slabs, like this one, occurred in the alpine and upper treeline.

On Friday, an explosive-triggered size 2 storm slab was reported on the early March melt-freeze crust, on an east-facing slope in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20 mm of precipitation is expected by Monday's end; snow above 1500 m and rain below this elevation. This overlies the 40 cm of snow from Sunday. Expect deeper and more reactive deposits on north—and east-facing slopes. Expect to find rain-soaked, moist snow below 1500 m.

This overlies 50 cm of recent snow and then a melt-freeze crust on southerly slopes and at lower elevations.

A weak layer formed in early March found down 150 to 230 cm, consists of a crust on all aspects except high north-facing slopes. In some areas, a layer of surface hoar is found just above the crust.

Weak layers formed in mid-February and late January are now buried 200 to 300 cm deep.

Below this, the snowpack is well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy with up to 15 mm, falling as snow above 1500 m. 40 to 50 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 1 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with 15 to 20 mm, falling as snow above 1500 m. 25 to 45 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 1 °C.

Tuesday

Cloudy with 15 to 20 mm, falling as snow above 2500 m. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 4 °C.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with trace precipitation. 40 km/h southeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 5 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain with no overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • Use extra caution for areas that are experiencing rapidly warming temperatures for the first time.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

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.