Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 20th, 2022–Feb 21st, 2022

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island.

Up to 15 cm of new snow fell at Mt. Cain last weekend, and north wind there Sunday night is expected to form fresh wind slabs. Aside from that zone, avalanche activity is unlikely in most terrain due to a thick crust.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 500 m, no new snow expected, moderate to strong northwest wind.

MONDAY: A few clouds in the morning giving way to clear skies in the afternoon, no new snow expected, light northeast wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around 0 C.

TUESDAY: Clear skies, no new snow expected, moderate to strong northeast wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around -5 C.

WEDNESDAY: Scattered cloud cover at dawn building to overcast by lunch, no new snow expected, moderate northwest wind, daytime high temperature at 1000 m around -1 C.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported on the Island this week. If you are recreating in the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 5cm sits over a thick and supportive crust which caps the snowpack on all aspects and elevations. The exception is up around Mt. Cain where the weekend storm produced a little over 15 cm. It may be possible to find thin wind slabs in the alpine and treeline in isolated areas.

Below the crust, 10-60 cm well settled snow and old crust layers sit above the thick late-January crust which extends to mountain top elevations on all aspects. The mid and lower snowpack is considered well settled and strong.

Shallow snow cover at low elevations leaves many hazards like stumps and creeks exposed at or just below the snow surface.

Terrain and Travel

Although their spatial distribution is isolated, wind slabs are reactive.
When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.

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.