Avalanche forecast

South Coast

Feb 1 – 2, 2015Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Conditions have changed and new wind slabs have increased the avalanche danger.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Continued light snowfall and southwest winds may form new wind slabs in upper elevation terrain. Watch for triggering in the lee of ridge crests and terrain breaks.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Another pacific frontal system will bring up to 10cm of snow to the Coast on Monday. Lingering flurries are expected on Tuesday before a dry ridge of high pressure develops for Wednesday. Ridgetop winds are forecast to be moderate to strong from the southwest on Monday, and then decrease to light on Tuesday and Wednesday. Freezing levels should hover around 1000m for the forecast period.

Avalanche Summary

At the time of publishing this bulletin, no new avalanches had been reported. That said, I'm sure thin wind slabs may have been easily triggered in response to Sunday's weather. With more snow on the way, I expect continued wind slab activity in lee terrain at treeline and above.

Snowpack Summary

Light to locally moderate amounts of new snow overlie a hard rain crust that exists up to at least 2100m. In some areas the new accumulations may have been shifted by moderate southwest winds into new wind slabs which may be especially reactive due to the underlying crust.Deeper snowpack weaknesses have become unreactive on account of the strong capping crust layer.

Regions covered