Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Feb 6 – 7, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–4
    Recent winds have created new wind slabs behind ridges and terrain breaks.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    3–7
    Large cornices are looming over some slopes and could act as a trigger for avalanches if they collapse.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    3–7
    Direct sun and warming can trigger loose avalanches, especially in steep south-facing terrain. It might be hotter at alpine elevations than in the valley, so be aware of what's cooking above you.

Avalanche Summary

A few cornice falls have been observed over the past couple of days. Wind loading led to a localized avalanche cycle near Stewart on Sunday. Several solar-triggered avalanches have been observed on sunny slopes during the heat of the day.

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Mainly sunny with no precipitation. Moderate outflow (easterly to northerly, low elevation) winds easing. Freezing level around 700m during the day and valley floor at night. Warm alpine temperatures.Wednesday: Light precipitation as a weak system approaches the coast late in the day. Light southerly winds. Freezing level rising to around 1000m. Thursday: Moderate precipitation associated with a frontal band is forecast, with some uncertainty about amounts and timing. Light to moderate south-west winds. Freezing level rising to around 1500m.

Snowpack Summary

Strong winds from the east and south-east have created new slabs at treeline and above. Temperatures have been unseasonably warm, leading to moist or wet weak surface snow conditions. Where a re-freeze has occurred, a crust now exists. Recent storm snow appears to be well settled. A facet layer buried on Jan 20th still exhibits hard, sudden planar results in isolated snowpack tests. It's about 120-150cm deep in the snowpack. Cornices will be weakest during the heat of the day and have the potential to act as a trigger for deep avalanches on the slope below.

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