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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 21st, 2025–Mar 22nd, 2025

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

Regions

South Coast, Powell River, North Shore, Sasquatch, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, Tetrahedron, Harrison-Fraser.

Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface. Human-triggered avalanches remain likely.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, skier traffic triggered several, size 1, dry loose avalanches on steep south east features. A human-triggered, size 1, wind slab avalanche was also reported on an east aspect. Reports note signs of instability with shooting cracks from skier traffic.

Storm slabs (size 1) were easily triggered by riders on convex rolls on Wednesday, as the storm brought 15 to 20 cm of new snow.

Thanks for sharing your observations via the MIN if you are going into the backcountry.

Snowpack Summary

Friday's 30 to 50 cm of new snow brings recent storm snow totals to 60 to 100 cm. Storm snow overlies firm wind-transported snow in terrain at upper elevations and moist, heavy snow or a melt-freeze crust on southerly slopes, especially at lower elevations.

A supportive crust is found 80 to 150 cm deep and the recent settling snow is bonding well to it. Below this, the snowpack is well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 2 cm of new snow. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 2 cm of new snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Flurries intensify overnight, 5 to 20 cm of snow.

Sunday

Cloudy with precipitation switching from snow to rain, 20 to 60 mm of mixed precipitation. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Precipitation continues overnight, 30 to 60 mm of rain.

Monday

Cloudy with rainy periods, 5 mm of rain. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
  • Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.
  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive 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.