Avalog
Register
Get forecast notifications
Create an account to receive email notifications when forecasts are published.
Register
Login
Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 2nd, 2021–Mar 3rd, 2021
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be high

Regions: South Coast.

Warm wet conditions are in store towards the end of the week. In the meantime if you're venturing up high, double check steep lines for lingering wind slabs and give cornices a wide berth.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday night: Mostly cloudy. Freezing level 700 m. Light southwest ridgetop wind.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Freezing level rising to 1300 m. Moderate to strong southerly wind.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, precip starting in the afternoon, 5-10 mm falling as rain at lower elevations. Freezing level 1500 m. Strong southerly wind.

Friday: 30-40mm of precip, falling as rain at lower elevations, with the snow line creeping down through the day as freezing level drops from 1500 m to 1000m. Strong southwesterly wind.

Avalanche Summary

This MIN from Sky Pilot on Sunday describes cornice debris around 1600 m. No reports of avalanche activity over the crust since last Thursday when skier triggered storm slab avalanches size 1-2 were reported on all aspects.

Snowpack Summary

30-40 cm of snow sits on top of a hard rain crust that exists all the way to the tops of the North Shore mountains. Reports indicate that the snow is adhering well to the crust. Upper elevation snow is wind affected as a modest but steady supply of new snow has fueled the continued formation of wind slabs and cornices recently.

The snowpack below the rain crust is well settled and strong in most areas.

Watch North Shore Rescue's snowpack update from Friday here.

Terrain and Travel

  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

A modest supply of new snow has fueled the continued formation of cornices and thin but potentially reactive wind slabs on a variety of aspects.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 2