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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 19th, 2024–Dec 20th, 2024

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

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

A wet avalanche problem will persist while the snowpack remains moist and saturated.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

A wet avalanche cycle to size 1.5 occurred overnight Tuesday into Wednesday with wet slabs reported on north and east aspects and loose wet avalanches on solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

With freezing levels reaching 2500 m and ongoing rain, expect to find a slushy and saturated snowpack. When temperatures fall the snowpack will freeze and dry, likely producing a uniform and cohesive snowpack capped by a crust.

Snowpack depths at treeline vary from 200 to 250 cm.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

More rain, 10 to 20 mm. 30 to 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Friday

Cloudy with showers, 10 to 25 mm. 50 to 80 south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level reaching 2500 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with freezing rain. 50 to 80 km/h with gusts exceeding 100 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Sunday

Continued precipitation, 5 to 30 mm. 50 to 80 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level dropping below 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Problems

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.