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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 26th, 2022–Dec 27th, 2022

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

Regions

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

The next storm arrives Monday night and brings with it an additional 15 - 25 mm of precipitation and strong southerly winds. These conditions will continue to build thick storm slabs at higher elevations.

Freezing levels fluctuate between 1000 and 1500 m. Below the freezing line, wet loose avalanches remain reactive to natural and human triggering.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

On Sunday, several natural wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 were reported from 1800 m and below the Coquihalla highway corridor. A size 2.5 natural storm slab avalanche was observed on an east aspect in the alpine. Backcountry users should expect to see continued evidence of the weekend's natural avalanche cycle.

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

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine 20 - 40 cm of snow and variable southerly winds have built cohesive slabs in lees. Below treeline rain soaked the snowpack and created a rain crust.

At the start of the storm, fresh snow covered a layer of facetted and unconsolidated snow that formed during the recent cold weather. The snowpack was well settled and bonding well. Snowpack depths reach 200 cm at treeline and higher.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Cloudy skies. A brief break between storms ends early evening as scattered flurries start up again, 10-15 cm accumulation. Ridgeline low temperature 0 C. Southerly winds 25-40 km/hr. Freezing levels 1200 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with scattered flurries, 5 cm accumulation. Ridgetop high temperature +3 C. Southerly wind 40 - 60 km/h weakening in the afternoon. Freezing levels rise to 1500m during the day before falling to 1000 m overnight.

Wednesday

Cloudy with scattered flurries, 5 cm accumulation. Ridgetop high temperature 0 C. Westerley winds 20 km/hr. Freezing levels 800-1000 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with scattered flurries, trace accumulation. Ridgeline high temperature -2 C. Southerly wind 20 km/h weakening in the afternoon. Freezing levels 500-1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.
  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.