Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 1st, 2023–Jan 2nd, 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

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Avoid wind-loaded areas at upper elevations. Recently formed wind slabs overlie a slick crust and could remain reactive to human triggering for longer than is typical.

Warm temperatures and solar radiation have the potential to rapidly increase avalanche danger. Watch for changing conditions with aspect, elevation, and time of day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday, many riders got surprised by small (size 1) reactive wind slabs failing on the underlying rain crust. These slabs occurred in wind-loaded terrain in the alpine and treeline.

Looking forward to Monday, wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggering for longer than is typical due to the slick crust they are sitting on. Avoid wind-loaded terrain and watch for signs of instability as you travel.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

This week, 15-40 cm of storm snow was accompanied by strong southwest winds, creating hard wind-affected surfaces in open areas, and wind slabs in lee terrain features. This new snow overlies a rain crust formed earlier in the week.

The mid-snowpack is well-settled. The lower snowpack consists of several crusts with weak faceted crystals above and below that are beginning to heal and bond to each other.

Snowpack depths are roughly 140 to 180 cm at treeline.

Weather Summary

Sunday night

Clear with cloudy periods. Alpine temperatures drop to a low of -5 °C. Light ridge wind. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Monday

Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -2 °C. Ridge wind light to 15 km/h. Freezing level rises to 1800 metres.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -3 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h from the southwest. Freezing levels rise to 400 metres.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -3 °C. Ridge wind light to 25 km/h from the south. Freezing level rises to 700 metres.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.

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.