Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 4th, 2025–Mar 5th, 2025

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

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Wind slab size and reactivity will increase with new snow and wind, burying a slippery crust.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported. Looking forward, wind slab avalanches become increasingly likely as new snow accumulates.

Snowpack Summary

As much as 25 cm of new snow continues to accumulate atop a widespread surface crust. Beneath, the upper snowpack is moist. Where still intact, a crust buried in January may be found 100 to 150 cm deep. Below this, the snowpack is well-bonded and stable. At lower elevations, snow coverage is thin.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Cloudy with 2 to 10 mm/cm of rain/snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Wednesday

Cloudy with 0 to 5 mm/cm of rain/snow. 10 to 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Thursday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level around 1600 m.

Friday

Partly cloudy. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.

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.