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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 2nd, 2024–Dec 3rd, 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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Sea To Sky, South Coast, South Coast Inland, Brandywine, Garibaldi, Homathko, Powell River, Spearhead, Tantalus, North Shore, Sasquatch, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, Tetrahedron, Birkenhead, Coquihalla, Duffey, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

The likelihood of wet loose avalanches will increase with each successive day of warm weather.

Be mindful of small avalanches pushing you into dangerous terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Small avalanches (size 1.5) were naturally triggered by the sun on Monday at treeline near Whistler.

With rising temperatures, we expect that wet loose avalanches will become more likely.

Warming signs of instability such as tree bombs and pinwheels were observed throughout the region this weekend.

If you are going out in the backcountry, please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network (MIN) report.

Snowpack Summary

Rising freezing levels will start melting the surface snow on all aspects and elevations.

Alpine slopes are wind-affected, scoured, or hold a thin surface crust. Moist or wet snow is found on all southerly slopes at treeline and below.

In sheltered terrain at treeline, large weak surface hoar crystals may still be persisting under 5-10 cm of snow.

The most prominent of several melt-freeze crusts in the lower snowpack is 100 to 120 cm deep and decomposing.

Snow depths vary from 100 to 140 cm at treeline and decrease rapidly below 1500 m, exposing early-season hazards.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Mostly clear. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow or rain. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 to 2500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.

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.