Regions
Vancouver Island.
Confidence
High - Stable weather pattern.
Travel & Terrain Advice
Daytime solar input will weaken surface layers and fragile cornices. Avoid solar aspects later in the day and give cornices a wide berth above and below. As always, avoid exposure to terrain traps, as even a small avalanche could have large consequences.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 10cm of new snow from last week in the alpine, with lesser amounts below. All aspects below 1500m and solar aspects above have experienced daily melt freeze cycles. Crusts have been breaking down in the late morning or early afternoon. Snowpack below surface layers is well settled. Cornices in exposed ridgetop terrain have continued to grow.
Snowpack Details
Surface: Dust on crust and melt freeze. Upper: Settled and bonded snow above 1700m and melt freeze crusts below. Mid: Well settled. Lower: Well settled.
Past Weather
Fairly benign weather recently. Light flurries above 1200m with accumulations up to 10cm. Winds have been light from the SE mainly. Freezing levels fluctuating from sea level up to 1600m with daytime warming.
Weather Forecast
Friday: Mix of sun and cloud, light NW winds, mild temperatures and freezing levels up to 1600m. Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud light SE winds, mild temperatures and freezing levels up to 1500m. Sunday: Light flurries, light variable winds, cooling temperatures and freezing levels to 1200m.
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.