Regions
Vancouver Island.
No new avalanche reported
Past Weather
Major wind, new snow and Treeline Freezing Level remind us all that Spring has sprung!
Weather Forecast
One more warm day then a reasonable cool down for the Island's mountain ranges as well as a bit of new snow could make for some fun turns with great stability come Thursday! Wednesday: No snow expected throughout forecast area, Winds Light from the SW, Freezing level 1,650MThursday: Less than 5cm snow expected throughout forecast area, Winds Strong from the SW shifting to Light SW winds late afternoon, Freezing level 1,000M and slightly colder for the South (including West and East sides) of the Island forecast area Friday: Less than 3cm Snow expected throughout forecast area, Winds Light from the South (gusting at times to Moderate South winds), Freezing level 900M
Terrain Advice
Major temp increase on Wednesday will excacerbate stability of new storm snow layer and additional cornice growth. Be aware of air temperature increase and signs of unstable snow such as snow melting on trees, pinwheeling and wet surface of snow.Plan routes and choose terrain that is low angle and supportive as you begin to venture into unmodified and uncontrolled snowpack and terrain.Identify and avoid travel either above or below cornice features. Major warmup Wednesday could make them very hazardous.Adjust travel plans to ensure avoidance of slopes during warming events (particularly Wednesday).
Snowpack Summary
Storm events subsided and was replaced with strong to Extreme mountain top winds and reverse loading leaving the downwind areas on a variety of differing aspects. In certain areas, particularly windward terrain, the snowpack was scoured down to firm crusts. The fresh storm snow ended up being found redeposited at much lower elevation due to the extreme wind transport of the snow.
Snowpack Details
- Surface: Firm upper snowpack surface softening mid-day with air temperature increase (Northerly Alpine terrain may still hold cold powder snow based on freezing level over last several days
- Upper: Well bonded and dense moisture laden snowpack
- Mid: Well settled due to melt freeze cycle snowpack has undergone
- Lower: Well settled and dense.
Confidence
Moderate - Wednesday will see air temperatures rising yet again (up to 1700M). On Thursday and Friday, forecasted major cooling should create solid consolidation within the upper snowpack.
Problems
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
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.