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

Dec 29th, 2022–Dec 30th, 2022

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

Regions

Sea To Sky, Brandywine, Garibaldi, Homathko, Powell River, Spearhead, Tantalus, Tetrahedron.

As snow quality increases and freezing levels drop be mindful that weak layers persist deep in the snowpack. Small avalanches on the surface have the potential to step down to deeper layers resulting in large, destructive avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several small, size 1 to 1.5 avalanches were reported on Wednesday. They were a mix of controlled and accidental avalanches, failing in the new storm snow.

One explosive-triggered, large, size 2.5 avalanche was reported at a treeline elevation. It failed on a crust buried on Dec 26.

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

Snowpack Summary

20 to 60 cm of recent snow, is being redistributed by southerly winds and overlies a crust. Below the crust, the upper snowpack is generally saturated from the rain events over Christmas.

A number of layers persist deeper in the snowpack, consisting of weak facet and surface hoar crystals, along with several crusts.

Below treeline, a saturated snowpack is refreezing. Total snow depths are roughly 90-140 cm at treeline and up to 200 cm in the alpine.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Cloudy and light snow, 2 to 5 cm. Light to moderate south winds. -5 C at treeline. Freezing levels 700 m.

Friday

Cloudy and snow, 10 to 20 cm. Moderate southerly winds. -5 C at treeline. Freezing levels 1000m.

Saturday

Cloudy and snow, 5 to 10 cm. Light to moderate southwest winds. -5 to -10 at treeline. Freezing levels 1000 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with periods of sun. No precipitation. Light southwest winds. -10 C at treeline. Freezing levels 700 m.

Saturday

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for changing conditions today, storm slabs may become increasingly reactive.
  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Problems

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.