Regions
Northwest Coastal.
A brief lull between storms should make for some good riding. Pay attention to areas of wind-affected snow.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Dry with clear periods.MONDAY: Clouding over with light snow starting in the afternoon, 3-5 cm. Winds increasing to moderate southwesterly. Treeline temperatures around -6C.TUESDAY: 15-20 cm new snow. Moderate southwesterly winds. Freezing level rising to around 800 m.WEDNESDAY: 30-50 cm new snow. Strong southwesterly winds. Freezing level rising to around 1400 m.
Avalanche Summary
A natural avalanche cycle was reported on Saturday up to size 3.
Snowpack Summary
Areas around Terrace have seen as much as 60 cm recent storm snow. Winds have shifted from southwesterly to northwesterly. A pre-Christmas layer of surface hoar was previously buried on or around December 22, and is now buried 50-80 cm below the surface. It is unclear how reactive this layer is, but its presence could increase the potential size of avalanches from the recent storm snow.Lower in the snowpack, sitting somewhere between 120-200 cm below the surface lies a weak layer from mid-December. This layer was initially a concern when snowfall first accumulated, but the strength of this layer has generally improved. The surface hoar was most prevalent and has most recently been reactive between 1100-1300 m in more northern portions of the region, something to keep in mind if you plan to travel to areas like Ningunsaw.
Problems
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.