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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 16th, 2024–Feb 17th, 2024

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

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Expect wind loaded features to be sensitive to human triggering and capable of producing small avalanches, especially in the alpine.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

The last reported avalanches in this region were small loose avalanches on Tuesday.

Avalanche activity in adjacent regions has lately seen an uptick as wind slabs have formed over weak grains like surface hoar and facets sitting on the early February crust. Any wind loaded features in this region should be treated with high suspicion as well.

Snowpack Summary

Wind and sun have created variable surface conditions. Outflow wind has heavily impacted open terrain, including lower elevations where snow coverage exists.

A widespread crust exists 30 cm below the surface, and surface hoar has been found above the crust in some parts of the region. The snowpack is strong and bonded below the crust.

Conditions remain rugged at lower elevations.

Weather Summary

Friday night

Clear. Southeast alpine winds 30 -40 km/h.

Saturday

Increasing cloud. South alpine winds 35-40 km/h. Treeline temperature -2 °C with freezing level around 1400 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with isolated flurries. Southwest alpine winds 15-25 km/h. Treeline temperature -1 °C with freezing level around 1500 m.

Monday

Cloudy with isolated flurries.Southeast alpine winds 20-25 km/h. Treeline temperature -2 with freezing level around 1400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

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.

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.