Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 27th, 2022 4:00PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is high. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

Avalanche Canada dboucher, Avalanche Canada

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Heavy and steady precipitation with strong winds will continue to develop significant storm slabs, especially in lee areas in the alpine and at treeline. It is a good day to stay away from avalanche terrain.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain. We are confident a natural avalanche cycle will begin shortly after the arrival of the incoming weather.

Weather Forecast

A series of weather systems are set to hit BC in the next few days bringing precipitations, mild air and strong mountaintop winds.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Snow, 10-20 cm, 30-50 km/h southerly wind, alpine low temperature -4 C, freezing level at 1200 m.

MONDAY: Snow, heavy at times, 30-45 cm, 20-40 km/h southerly wind, alpine high temperature -1 C, freezing level at 1500 m.

TUESDAY: Snow, heavy at times, 25-40 cm, 30-40 km/h southwesterly wind, alpine high temperature -1 C, freezing level at 1500 m.

WEDNESDAY: Snow, heavy at times, 25-40 cm, 20-40 km/h southerly wind, alpine high temperature -3 C, freezing level at 1300 m.

Avalanche Summary

A skier accidental size 1.5 on a windslab over a small convexity was reported on Saturday on the neighboring South Coast region. Numerous human-triggered storm slab avalanches were reported on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

About 20 to 40 cm of storm snow is covering a variety of surfaces including the widespread mid-February crust, wind affected snow and pockets of wind slab in exposed high elevation terrain, a suncrust on solar aspects, low density facetted snow on northerly slopes and spotty surface hoar in very sheltered lower elevations. It is unknow how this new snow will bond to the previous surfaces but we are expecting it will not bond very well.

A crust/facet/surface hoar interface formed late-January is buried down 40-100 cm. This layer was most reactive between 1700 m and 2000 m. While this layer has been dormant in most of the region lately, large loads such as heavy snowfalls and cornice falls could wake it up and produce very large avalanches.

Terrain and Travel

  • Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs

Storm slabs will continue to develop throughout the day, especially in lee areas in the alpine and at treeline. It is almost certain that this new snow will not bond very well to the variety of previous surfaces and will produce a natural avalanche cycle. It is a good day to stay away from avalanche terrain.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

2.5 - 3.5

Valid until: Feb 28th, 2022 4:00PM