Regions
Northwest Coastal.
The wet, warm, and windy storm will result in High avalanche danger.
Confidence
Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Heavy snow or rain below 1600 metres is expected to continue on Friday night. There may be a short break between storms Saturday morning, before the next 30-40 mm of precipitation combined with very strong Southwest winds and freezing levels up to about 2200 metres moves into the region. Expect another 10-15 mm of precipitation with moderate to strong Southwest winds on Sunday as freezing levels creep below 1500 metres. Monday should be drier with periods of flurries or showers, moderate winds, and freezing levels dropping below 1000 metres.
Avalanche Summary
Very heavy loading from snow, wind, and rain has resulted in a widespread natural avalanche cycle up to size 4.0 on Thursday. Reports from Wednesday include numerous wind slab and some step-down persistent slab avalanches in the Size 2-3 range, with isolated deep persistent slab avalanches up to size 3.5 from large alpine features. Below approximately 1000m numerous wet loose snow avalanches up to Size 2.5 were observed running in steep terrain. This pattern should continue throughout the forecast period.
Snowpack Summary
Heavy snowfall (with rain below approximately 1500-1000 m) and strong southwest winds have built fresh deep and dense storm and wind slabs. The slabs are likely 'upside down' with warm temperatures dropping moist dense snow on previous dry lower-density snow. A rain crust and/or surface hoar layer buried mid-December is down around a metre. Recent reports mention that this weakness has become 'electric' with recent heavy loading and has been responsible for much of the recent large avalanche activity. The November crust near the bottom of the snowpack is generally well bonded, but may 'wake up' with intense loading this week. There is potential for isolated very large and deep avalanches.
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.
Wet Slabs
Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.