Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Apr 12 – 13, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

New snow and shifting wind directions may create wind slabs on a variety of aspects, including slopes that are generally windward.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Shifting wind directions have created fresh wind slabs on a variety of aspects.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Recent snow and wind are growing already large cornices. Minimize your exposure to cornices when it is cold and cloudy and completely avoid them when it is warm and/or sunny.

Confidence

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY: Cloudy with flurries (5-10 cm snow possible). Light to moderate Southwesterly ridgetop winds. Freezing level around 1200m.FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Light Southwesterly ridgetop winds. Freezing level around 1200 m.SATURDAY: Sunny. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds. Freezing level around 1400m.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous skier triggered size 1 wind slabs were reported at Treeline and above on a variety of aspects near Whistler on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

15 cm of new snow with moderate to strong winds from a variety of directions have created fresh wind slabs in exposed terrain at treeline and above. Numerous crusts exist in the upper snowpack, especially on solar aspects. Cornices are large and remain a concern: Saturday's fatal accident near Lions Bay illustrates the danger of them breaking off, and the large avalanches they can trigger. Expect small loose dry avalanches in steep terrain where the new snow is sitting on a crust.

Regions covered