Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Howson, Kitimat, Nass, Northwest Coastal, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart.
Watch for lingering wind slabs especially around ridge crests, convexities and in steep terrain. The sun at this time of year can pack a punch so avoid exposure to cornices and watch for signs of warming on steep south aspects.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
A couple of wind slab avalanches were reported east of Kitimat on Wednesday. A natural size 2 in the alpine and a machine triggered size 1 on an open road cut bank both propagated widely, 30-40 cm deep on southwest aspects.
On Saturday, there were a few reports of storm slab avalanches, a size 2.5 triggered by a cornice fall north of Stewart and a size 1.5 accidentally triggered by a skier north of Terrace.
Snowpack Summary
Surface conditions are a mix of very wind affected snow in exposed terrain features, old wind slabs on lee aspects, sun crusts or moist snow on steep solar aspects, and preserved softer snow in sheltered areas.
A layer of small surface hoar or facets is now buried over 80 cm deep. A facet/crust layer formed in late January exists around 150 cm deep. Large avalanches were suspected to have run on this layer in mid February. Triggering these deeper layers may still be possible in places where the snowpack is shallow.
The lower snowpack is generally well consolidated but as you move further inland where the snowpack is thinner, basal instabilities linger.
Weather Summary
Wednesday night
Clear. Light variable wind. Alpine low -12 ËšC
Thursday
Sunny. Light northwest to northeast wind. Alpine high -4ËšC.
Friday
Mostly sunny. Moderate southeasterly wind. Alpine high -5 ËšC.
Saturday
Cloudy with sunny breaks and scattered flurries bringing a trace of snow. Moderate southeasterly wind. Alpine high -7 ËšC.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
- Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Terrain features have been reverse-loaded by recent outflow winds so watch for wind slabs in atypical terrain features.
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2