Avalanche Forecast

Poor - Due to limited field observations for the entire period

Friday: Moderate to heavy snowfall starting Thursday afternoon is expected to bring 30-50cm of new snow, with the highest amounts concentrated in immediate coastal areas, before tapering off by the evening. Freezing levels around 600-800m and mountaintop winds are expected to be extreme southwesterlies during the height of the storm, but ease throughout the day. Saturday: Continued moderate snowfall with 15-25cm possible, again heaviest for immediate coastal areas. Freezing levels remaining in the 600-800m range and strong southwesterly mountaintop winds. Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds with isolated flurries and cooling as winds shift to northwesterlies.

Explosives control last weekend produced a couple of 30cm deep size 1.5-2 storm slab avalanches. Natural avalanche activity followed by human-triggered activity generally occurs with every intense weather period, such as what's forecast for Thursday night and Friday.

Total snowpack depth is probably at least a metre in most treeline areas and deeper but more variable in the alpine, while below treeline areas are probably still below threshold depths for avalanches. A recent profile at 1200m in the Shames area showed a predominately "right-side-up" 120cm deep snowpack with a thin layer of facets sitting on a crust 35cm off the ground. An Extended Column Test produced easy (10 taps)  results on this persistent weak layer , but the resistant fracture didn't propagate across the entire column. Check out the Skeena/Babine discussion forum for more information from the area.