Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.

Dry conditions and diurnal cycles for the next few days

Monday night: Partly cloudy, moderate southeast winds, freezing level dropping to 600 m.

Tuesday: Mix of sun and cloud, isolated convective flurries with trace accumulations, moderate southeast winds, freezing level rising to 1100 m and dropping to 500 m overnight.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, light variable winds, freezing level rising to 1200 m and dropping to 500 m. 

Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate northwest winds, freezing level rising to 1000 m and dropping to 500 m.

Over the weekend, operators reported numerous soft slabs releasing 20 cm deep in the recent storm snow across aspects from 1700 to 2000 m. Small loose dry sluffs were also observed in steep terrain. 

Since Friday, the mountains in the south coast region have seen anywhere from 20-60 cm of snow that fell on a mix of previous surfaces, including a warm crust, wet snow, wind-pressed snow, and settled cold snow. The storm snow has been accompanied by moderate to strong south winds, forming wind slabs on leeward slopes at upper elevations that may remain possible to trigger. Massive cornices exist on ridgelines, which can act as triggers on slopes below. 

Below the recent snow, the snowpack consists of a series of rain crusts and settled snow that is well-bonded. See this helpful MIN report from the Hollyburn area.

• Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
• Avoid freshly wind loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.
• Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
• Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.