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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 7th, 2023–Jan 8th, 2023

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

Regions

South Coast, North Shore, Sasquatch, Tetrahedron.

Watch for changing conditions throughout the day with incoming precipitations.

The timing of the next storm is uncertain, but hazard will increase as the storm pushes in.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported since Thursday. We suspect at the peak of the rain event Thursday nigh, a natural avalanche cycle would have occurred at treeline on all aspects.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network. It helps strengthen our data gathering.

Snowpack Summary

20-25 cm of moist snow is found at treeline and sits on a supportive crust formed late December. At the higher elevation, dry snow may be present. As the freezing level falls, a new crust will form on all aspects at treeline. Below treeline, the snow surface will likely remain moist and saturated.

Weather Summary

A weak trough will continue to push moisture in the region Saturday night with a southerly flow aloft. On Sunday, another trough will generate periods of moderate precipitations until Monday night. The heaviest precipitation will fall along upslope regions of the South Coast. Overcast skies and dry conditions are expected Tuesday.

Saturday night

Stormy 10-15 cm of new snow expected at higher elevations, rain at treeline and below, moderate southeast winds gusting 50 km/h, freezing levels around 1500 m, low of +2C at treeline.

Sunday

Stormy 10-20 cm of new snow expected in the afternoon at higher elevations, rain at treeline and below, moderate southeast winds gusting 50 km/h, freezing levels around 1500 m, low of +2C at treeline.

Monday

Stormy with up 15-20 mm of rain, snow only at the highest elevation terrain, moderate southeast winds gusting at 60 km/h, freezing levels rising to 1900 m, high of +5C.

Tuesday

5-10 mm of rain, snow only at the highest elevation terrain, moderate southeast winds, freezing levels around 1900 m, high of +5C at treeline.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

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.

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.