Regions
Vancouver Island.
No new avalanches observed or report.
Past Weather
Mostly clear sky with some fog and afternoon convective clouds. Overnight temperatures have remained cool, freezing levels nearing sea level. Daytime warming and sun effect caused freezing levels to rise to the 1500-meter mark.
Weather Forecast
A high pressure to the north east of the island has persisted but is forecast to come to an end late Friday. Saturday an expected incoming weather systems will begin to deliver snow and wind, with a subsequent stronger weather system arriving Sunday.Friday: Trace amounts of snow late in the day, Winds Moderate from the South West, Freezing levels to 1000 meters.Saturday: 5 to 10 cm of snow, Winds Strong from the South West, Freezing levels to 1000 meters.Sunday: 15 to 25 cm of snow, Winds Strong from the South West, Freezing levels 1000 meters.
Terrain Advice
Careful route find and snow-pack evaluation are paramount during periods of heavy snowfall and strong winds.Avoid traveling both above and below cornice features.Careful and cautious route finding when entering into or over convex rolls or steep features.
Snowpack Summary
Daytime warming with freezing levels up-to 1500 meters and periods of sun is continuing to settle the snow pack. The surface snow on steep solar aspects has seen the development of a sun crust, Exposed ridge tops are scoured down to the Jan 31 melt freeze crust. Non solar protected areas continue to grow surface hoar and will in the coming storm system become a weakness and concern under the new storm snow. The mid and lower snow-pack is well settled and dense.
Snowpack Details
- Surface: Variable surfaces conditions from wind loaded to wind pressed and on solar aspects a breakable sun crust. On areas protected from the wind and sun, surface hoar growth is prevalent.
- Upper: A supportive and reactive melt freeze crust down from 15 to 30 cm.
- Mid: A variety of old crusts can be found.
- Lower: well settled and dense
Confidence
Moderate - Limited Alpine Field Observations
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.
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.