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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 11th, 2024–Apr 12th, 2024

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

South Coast Inland, Spearhead, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Spring is a dynamic time of year. Conditions can vary widely and change rapidly.

Verify conditions in your local area and tune in to changes with aspect, elevation and time of day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, a few cornice-triggered storm and wind slabs (size 1-2.5) were reported from north-facing alpine terrain.

Looking forward to Friday, human-triggered wind slabs will remain possible. Avoid wind-loaded areas and be mindful of overhead exposure.

Snowpack Summary

5 to 15 cm of recent snowfall overlies up to 30 cm of more settled, wind-affected snow.

Below the recent snow is a crust everywhere except true north facing terrain at upper elevations.

The facet/crust layer that produced large avalanches during early March is down 80 to 150 cm. It is currently considered to be dormant in most locations.

Many areas below treeline are either snow free or have very thin snow coverage. Expect difficult travel at lower elevations.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow accumulation above the rain-snow line. 5 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Friday

Cloudy with afternoon clearings. Light south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature reaches a high of 0 °C. Freezing level rises to 1900 m.

Saturday

Mostly sunny. 5 to 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature reaches a high of +5 °C. Freezing level rises to 2500 m.

Sunday

Mostly sunny. 15 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Remember that in the spring strong solar radiation and warm temperatures can weaken the snow in a matter of minutes.
  • Minimize overhead exposure; avalanches triggered by warming or cornice fall may be large and destructive.
  • Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.

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.