Avalanche Forecast

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

The cold arctic outflow will reside as an active weather pattern reaches the Coast tomorrow bringing slightly warmer temperatures, strong winds and new snow. Snow amounts will be slightly less on the Duffey and communities to the North.Friday: Snow amounts 5-10 cm with ridgetop winds light-moderate from the southeast. Alpine temperatures near -5.Saturday: Snow amounts 10-20 cm with ridgetop winds light-gusting strong from the southwest. Alpine temperatures near -5 and freezing levels rising to 800 m.Sunday: Snow amounts near 30 cm on the Coquihalla and 20 cm on the Duffey. Ridgetop winds moderate from the southwest. Alpine temperatures near -10.

There were no new avalanche observations reported on Wednesday. Wind slabs may be reactive to rider triggers at higher elevations. In thin rocky areas to the north, wind slabs could potentially step down to deeper weak layers.

Lingering reactive wind slabs and wind scoured snow exist on exposed terrain at treeline and in the alpine. The new snow sits above a thin breakable sun crust and isolated pockets of surface hoar, potentially creating weak interfaces for wind slabs to propagate along. In northern areas (Duffey), the mid-January surface hoar and facet interface is now buried 50-80 cm down and remains a concern especially in shallower snowpack areas like the Hurley and/ or South Chilcotins. In southern areas (Coquihalla), the lower snowpack is reportedly well settled compared to the North.