Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Mar 1, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 10 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Touchy wind slabs will develop with forecast strong winds and snow. Watch for wind slabs Wednesday and more widespread storm slabs on Thursday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Touchy windslabs will form behind ridges, ribs, similar terrain features. Even open areas near treeline are likely to be wind affected.

Confidence

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY: Snow starting overnight Tuesday means 10 - 15 cm by Wed evening. Moderate to strong SW wind. Freezing level around 700 m with treeline temperatures well below freezing.THURSDAY: Continued snow with another 15 - 20 cm. Strong SW winds. Continued gradual warming with freezing level around 1100m and temperatures approaching a few degrees below freezing near treeline.FRIDAY: Periods of snow with another 5 - 10 cm. Moderate SW winds. Temperatures starting to cool with freezing level lowering to around 900m.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported Monday. This will likely change as wind driven snow starts to accumulate Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Previous winds have either deposited snow in lee areas, with a few stubborn wind slabs, or scoured down to a mid-February crust. Cold temperatures have faceted the top 20 cm of the snowpack where it wasn't wind hammered. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and strong. The forecast shift in the weather means new wind slabs and storm slabs will be forming.

Regions covered