Regions
Vancouver Island.
No new avalanche observations have been submitted since Sunday.
Past Weather
Small amounts of new moist snow have fallen since Sunday with accumulations around 2 to 4 cm. Temps have been mild (-4 to 0). Winds have been moderate from the SE to SW. Freezing levels 1100 to 400 m.
Weather Forecast
Here comes another hit of winter! No Juicy Fruit gum commercial spring skiing yet.... If you are too young to get this, is worth looking it up on Goggle... (greatest snow quantities in the west/Strathcona, then norths/Cain and least in the east/Washy) Wednesday- 5 to 16 cm of new snow, winds strong to moderate SW-SE, temps -4 to -8, freezing levels 500 to 800 m.Thursday- 18 to 46 cm of new snow, winds strong SE-SW with potential for some gusts to EXTREME SE, temps -3 to -6, freezing levels 400 to 1000 m.Friday- 5 to 20 cm of new snow, winds light SE-SW, temps -6 to -9, freezing levels 0 to 600 m.
Terrain Advice
Don't pull out the garden tools and golf clubs just yet. A large storm system arrives Tuesday night and brings significant snowfall into Wednesday. Avoid lee slopes (NW to NE) in the alpine and open treeline until this new snow has had time to bond and settle. There will be fun to be had below treeline, on less steep terrain and in the protected forest zones during this winter blast.
Snowpack Summary
Small amounts of moist new snow has fallen on the previous surfaces since Sunday with accumulations of 2- 4 cm.
Snowpack Details
- Surface: Small amount of new snow (2-4 cm) over a thin sun crust on solars and on old snow on non solars.
- Upper: 30 to 100 cm of settled storm snow with a few thin crusts sandwiched between on solar aspects.
- Mid: a thick crust with weak snow crystals on top and some weak crystals forming below as the crust degrades
- Lower: well settled
Confidence
High - Many days of field data and weather models in agreement
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
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.