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

Feb 9th, 2023–Feb 10th, 2023

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

Regions

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

Heavy overnight snowfall and strong wind may quickly produce reactive slabs. Give new snow time to settle and bond.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported in the region.

Alpine observations are lacking, however, with precipitation falling as snow, higher elevations likely experienced some degree of natural avalanche cycle during this latest storm pulse.

Snowpack Summary

30-60 mm precipitation is forecast within 24 hours through Friday. Snow will fall at upper elevations with the rain-snow line around 1200 m.

The new snow overlies moist snow above 1300 m and a new breakable crust below this elevation, a result of rain-then-snow over the course of the storm. This rain saturated as much as 70 cm that accumulated above 700 m from the previous storm pulse at the end of last week.

The new snow overlies a crust and temperature-affected snow above 1300 m and a new breakable crust below. This rain crust resulted from the snowpack saturated as much as 70 cm that accumulated above 700 m from the previous storm pulse at the end of last week.

These upper snowpack characteristics top a melt-freeze crust that is now likely breaking down where it was thinnest. The crust was previously up to 10 cm thick at lower elevations and tapered to 1 cm thick on shaded or high-elevation terrain. A few cm of softer snow recently found immediately below this crust is almost certainly now settled and bonded along with the remainder of the snowpack beneath it.

Weather Summary

Thursday night

Heavy snow into Friday above 1100 m, rain-snow mix below, 15-30 mm. Strong to extreme southwest winds. Treeline low temperature -2 C with freezing levels dropping below 1000 m.

Friday

Snow and rain tapering around noon, 20-50 mm precipitation forecast within 24 hours. Rain-snow line around 1100 m. Strong south winds easing to light northeast. Treeline high temperature -2 C.

Saturday

Scattered flurries and sunny breaks, up to 5 cm. Moderate southwest winds. Treeline high temperature +2 C.

Sunday

Incoming snow and flurries, 5-15 mm. Increasingly gusty and strong southwest winds. Treeline high temperature +2 C..

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • Minimize exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind or rain.

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.

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.