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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 24th, 2023–Mar 25th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson.

As temperatures warm and the sun appears, make travel choices that avoid steep south aspect terrain and large overhead triggers such as cornices.

Additional snow load has likely increased reactivity on previously buried surface hoar. Be cognizant of increasing hazard, especially on wind loaded features.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday , avalanche activity continues to subside with activity only occurring below tree line, one large (size 2.5) glide slab on known steep rock slab features and a few large (size 2) loose wet avalanches.

On Wednesday, avalanche activity had begun to subside as only a few small (size 1) loose wet avalanche were reported that had initiated from very steep south aspect terrain at treeline elevations and below.

During last weekend, two natural size 3 persistent slab avalanches were observed. Both these avalanches ran to valley bottom and are suspected to have released on a weak layer of surface hoar. Two, size 1.5 persistent slab avalanches were remotely triggered by a helicopter on the same layer.

Snowpack Summary

2 cm of new snow has bonded and settled to a well settled upper snowpack. Below 1800m moist surface snow exists on all aspects, with a melt freeze crust present on south aspects that extends up to 2000 m.

At elevations treeline and below, a weak layer of surface hoar is found 20-50 cm down in sheltered terrain and continues to be reactive to skier traffic.

A second weak layer of surface hoar and/or faceted grains may be found about 60 cm deep, particularly on shaded aspects near treeline.

The lower snowpack presents as consolidated and strong.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace amounts to 5 cm of accumulation. Light northwest winds at ridgetop. Treeline temperature -7°C. Freezing level dropping to sea level.

Saturday

Clearing in the late am, no new precipitation. Light northwest winds at ridgetop. Treeline temperature -5°C. Freezing levels 500 m.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud, no new precipitation. Light east winds at ridgetop. Treeline temperature -5°C. Freezing levels 500 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud, no new precipitation. Light southeast winds at ridgetop. Treeline temperature -5°C. Freezing levels 500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
  • Potential for wide propagation exists, fresh slabs may rest on surface hoar, facets and/or crust.
  • Extra caution for areas experiencing rapidly warming temperatures for the first time.

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.

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.

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.