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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 23rd, 2024–Feb 24th, 2024

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

Regions

Sea To Sky, Brandywine, Garibaldi, Homathko, Powell River, Spearhead, Tantalus, Sky Pilot.

Wind could be the initial driver of avalanche danger as the storm gets started Saturday. Let the blustery weather guide you to sheltered areas less prone to slab formation.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Wednesday's reports showed 5-10 cm in the Whistler area yielding small slab and dry loose results with ski cuts and explosives. Slabs were more restricted to north aspects.

Thursday's reports were a bit quieter with generally small wet loose and dry loose releases punctuated by small ski cut slabs running on crust in north-facing terrain.

Last week had a more sporadic pattern of wind slabs triggered on buried persistent weak layers of facets, a problem that remains in play.

Snowpack Summary

10 cm of new snow should accumulate in the region by end of day Saturday. It will likely bury new sun crust on solar aspects but otherwise add to 10-20 cm of recent snow settling over a mix of crust on south aspects and lower elevations, faceted snow and/or small surface hoar in sheltered terrain, and wind-affected snow in the open. Areas where wind loading has increased the depth of new snow and where larger preserved surface hoar is buried are the most concerning.

30 to 40 cm of snow sits above an older layer of faceted snow or more isolated surface hoar at treeline and above. Just below it, a widespread, thick crust is about 30 to 60 cm deep. This problematic combination remains a concern as load increases above it.

Weather Summary

Friday night

Cloudy with flurries bringing about 5 cm of new snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest alpine wind. Freezing level falling to 1000 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with continuing flurries bringing about 5 cm of new snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest alpine wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C with freezing level to 1200 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with moderate to heavy snowfall bringing 20 - 30 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 35-65 km/h southwest alpine winds, increasing. Treeline temperature -4 with freezing level to 1200 m.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 25 - 45 km/h west alpine wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C with freezing level falling to 500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

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.