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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 14th, 2024–Apr 15th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson.

Watch for signs of instability as you move through terrain.

A deeply buried weak layer from early April may still be rider triggerable.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Many slab avalanches were observed on Thursday, the majority of these avalanches occurred in the north of the region. The avalanches were triggered naturally and by riders in alpine terrain on all aspects. The avalanches were 40 to 80 cm deep and occurred within the recent storm snow as well as on the weak layer from early April. Remotely triggered avalanches involving this layer have also been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Recent snow and westerly winds have likely formed wind slab at upper elevations. A crust exists on or near the surface on south and west facing slopes at treeline and above.

Moist snow will likely be found on all aspects and elevations except high north as the freezing level rises and the sun comes out.

50 to 100 cm of snow overlies a hard melt-freeze crust from early April. This snow is slow to bond to the crust where pockets of weak surface hoar or faceted grains rest on the crust, which is most likely on northerly aspects at treeline and alpine elevations.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

A mix of clear skies and cloud with 5 to 15 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h westerly alpine wind. Treeline temperature -6°C.

Monday

Clearing throughout the day. 10 to 30 km/h westerly alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1100 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 5 to 15 km/h northeast alpine wind. Freezing level rising to 1200 m.

Wednesday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h northeast alpine and outflow wind.  Freezing level rising to 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.