Regions
Vancouver Island.
No new avalanches reported or observed.
Past Weather
Double digit air temperatures persisted up to the Alpine elevation band furthering the overall reduction in snow volume across Vancouver Island. Daytime heating and limited overnight cooling have formed a very moisture laden snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Friday: less 1cm Snow and up to 5cm Snow for North end of Forecast region, Winds light from the South, Freezing level 1,700 meters Temps at 1500 meters begin at +3 and drop to 0 degrees late afternoon.Saturday: 5cm Snow to 10cm Snow, Winds light from the South, Freezing level 1,350 meters. Temps at 1500 meters up to -1 degrees.Sunday: 10cm Snow to 15cm Snow (less than 5cm Snow for South end forecast region), Winds light from the ESE, Freezing level 1,400 meters. Temps at 1500 meters -1 degrees.
Terrain Advice
Please respect the current closures at Mount Washington, no access is permitted at anytime on the ski areas slopes or terrain.Avoid travelling both above and below cornices.
Snowpack Summary
Vancouver Islands mountain ranges have been subjected to a great deal of heating. Weather stations are reporting between 30cm to 40cm of snow volume reduction over the past week at the "near" Treeline elevation band. While melting is ongoing, the cooling trend over the next several days will "bridge" and consolidate the water laden upper snowpack. The question remains, to what extent the cooling refreezes these layers as the freezing level sits around the 1,500M elevation band through the weekend.
Snowpack Details
- Surface: Firm upper snowpack surface softening mid-day with air temperature increase (Northern portion of forecast region may receive 5cm Snow and 5mm Rain at below treeline elevation band)
- Upper: Firm/moisture laden snowpack that contains several near isothermal (water laden) layers/interfaces (should begin to refreeze over cooling period these next several days)
- Mid: Well bonded midpack that includes several ice crust layers
- Lower: Well settled and dense.
Confidence
Moderate - Cooling and "barely" below zero degree air temps return to mountain top. Is it enough to refreeze the water laden layers? Remain aware and conduct appropriate assessments prior to "stepping out" into large terrain features.
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.