Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 8th, 2023–Feb 9th, 2023

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

South Coast, North Shore, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, Tetrahedron.

Winds and recent snow at higher elevations will have produced wind slabs while rain and warmer temperatures at lower elevations may produce wet loose avalanches.

Find the best and safest riding in between these two zones.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, skiers controlled triggered two wet loose avalanches. There was also a report of an accidentally triggered storm slab avalanche with no involvement.

A large storm slab avalanche was reported on the 5th in the Tetrahedron. We anticipate more of these types of avalanches are likely to occur due to this last storm.

There is potential for deep storm slabs and wind slabs to slide on a buried crust, producing large and destructive avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate southerly winds will have redistributed the up to 70 cm that has fallen this week. Southerly winds have redistributed this snow into wind slabs at higher elevations.

A hard crust can now be found in sheltered, approximately 60 to 80 cm deep. The rest of the mid and lower snowpack seems strong and consolidated.

Snowpack depths are reaching 230 cm at treeline.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Clouding over early in the evening, 5 cm accumulation with more to the northwest, wind south southwest 25 to 35 km/h increasing by morning, treeline temperatures -4 C.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, up to 5 cm accumulation in the morning and more snow starting in the evening at higher elevations, wind southerly 45 km/h gusting to 75, treeline temperatures at 1 C and warming at the end of the day.

Friday

Cloudy, up to 30 cm accumulation at a higher elevation by the morning with rain below 1300 m and another 15 to 25 cm during the day and into the evening, wind southerly 45 km/h, treeline temperatures -3 C.

Saturday

Cloudy, 2 cm accumulation, wind southwest 25 km/h, treeline temperatures cooling to - 5 C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
Good day to make conservative terrain choices.
Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.

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.

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.