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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2022–Apr 22nd, 2022

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

Regions

Vancouver Island.

Lingering wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggers on lee features in the alpine.

 Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs. 

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

Thursday night: Cloudy with isolated flurries; 0-5 cm / Light north wind / Low of 1 / Freezing level 1100 m.

Friday: Mix of sun and cloud / Light west wind / High of 8 / Freezing level 1700 m.

Saturday: Sunny / Light south wind / High of 9 / Freezing level 1700 m.

Sunday: Cloudy with flurries (showers below around 1100 m); 5-10 cm / Moderate south wind / High of 5 / Freezing level 1400 m.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches were reported on Wednesday.

We currently have very limited avalanche observation data from this region.

Please consider posting your observations to the Mountain Information Network (MIN). Photos of current conditions and avalanches are the most helpful. 

Snowpack Summary

5-15 cm of new snow adds to the 20-35 cm of recent snow. Moderate southerly winds have formed wind slabs that may remain reactive to human triggers on lee features in the alpine.

The recent snow is sitting on a variety of hard snow surfaces, including crusts and wind scoured snow.

Below this, there are several crusts in the upper snowpack that may have the potential to produce large avalanches during the next significant warming event.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.

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.

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.