Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 19th, 2022–Feb 20th, 2022

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island.

Thin wind slabs may have formed in isolated areas at upper elevations. Avalanche activity is unlikely in most terrain due to a thick crust.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Saturday night: low of -2 at 1200m. Light to moderate west winds and light flurries bringing trace amounts of snow.

Sunday: mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of snow. Moderate northwest winds. High of -3 at 1200m.

Monday: mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of snow. Light northerly winds and a high of -4 at 1200m.

Tuesday: mostly sunny with a high of -5 at 1200m. Light northerly winds.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported on the Island this week. If you are recreating in the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 5cm sits over a thick and supportive crust which caps the snowpack on all aspects and elevations. It may be possible to find thin wind slabs in the alpine and treeline in isolated areas.

Below the crust, 10-60 cm well settled snow and old crust layers sit above the thick late-January crust which extends to mountain top elevations on all aspects. The mid and lower snowpack is considered well settled and strong.

Shallow snow cover at low elevations leaves many hazards like stumps and creeks exposed at or just below the snow surface.

Terrain and Travel

Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.

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.