Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Saturday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Freezing level in valley bottom with alpine temperatures around -10 to -15 C. Moderate northerly alpine winds. Sunday: Increasing cloud with light to moderate snow possible. Freezing level in valley bottom with alpine temperatures around -10 C. Light alpine wind. Monday: Light to moderate snow with 10 - 20 cm of accumulation. Freezing level in valley bottom with alpine temperature around -5 C. Moderate SW alpine wind.

On Wednesday, two skier triggered size 1 wind slab avalanches were reported NW of Squamish. These occurred on a steep cross-loaded roll in the alpine on a NE aspect slope.

A highly variable snowpack surface includes surface facets, surface hoar, thin wind slabs, and scoured crust, or any combination thereof. Remember to take stock of current surface conditions, especially crusts, surface hoar, and facets. Once buried buy a cohesive slab, surface hoar or a thin layer of facets sitting on a crust almost always becomes a weak layer for avalanches, and will often persist.In sheltered areas, large surface hoar is growing on approximately 10cm of faceted old storm snow sitting on the late January crust, which is likely faceted and laminated and could have surface hoar on top. The entire snowpack is likely faceting to some degree, especially where it is shallow. Basal facets and depth hoar are likely, but triggering is only a concern in thin and variable snowpack areas with large triggers.