Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 9th, 2014–Mar 10th, 2014

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday

Weather Forecast

Monday: Cloudy with flurries in the morning followed by sunny breaks. The freezing level is around 800-1000 m. Winds are moderate from the W-SW. Tuesday: Periods of snow, heavy at times 20-40 cm (higher amounts are for Bear Pass). The freezing level is around 1200-1400 m and winds increase to strong from the SW. Wednesday: Periods of snow. The freezing level is around 1000 m. Winds remain strong from the SW.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous natural loose wet avalanches up to size 2 were reported below treeline from warming temperatures and rain. There were also reports of many size 2-3 slab avalanches from higher elevations on a variety of aspects. Most of these seemed to release within the recent storm snow or on the previous snow surface buried on March 7.

Snowpack Summary

The snow keeps piling up! Around 50-80 cm of recent storm snow now sits on previous snow surface of hard wind slabs or scoured slopes in exposed terrain and a thick layer of faceted snow on sheltered shady slopes, maybe with some surface hoar mixed in, and a sun crust on steep solar aspects. Expect moist or wet snow below 1000 m, possibly with one or two new crusts near the surface. The mid February weak layer of surface hoar or a crust/facet combo is buried 90-150 cm deep. This layer continues to react in snowpack tests, primarily on sheltered north aspects at or below treeline. Basal facets and/or depth hoar remain a concern in shallow snowpack areas in the northern part of the region.

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.

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.