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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 4th, 2025–Jan 5th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Watch for reactive pockets of fresh snow in lee features and around steep rolls.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday and Friday, riders triggered small (size 1-1.5) wind slab avalanches in lee features at upper elevations. (Slidetastic 5040 MIN)

On Friday morning, explosives triggered several small wind slab avalanches from steep northerly terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Wind has impacted 20 to 40 cm of settling snow from the last few days at upper elevations. Below 1500 m, surfaces may be moist or crusty.

Recent snow covers 50 to 80 cm of older snow which is bonding well to an underlying crust and lower snowpack. Snowpack depths at treeline average 200 to 300 cm.

Weather Summary

Saturday night

Flurries, 5 to 15 cm of snow. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with sunny breaks. 5 to 15 km/h variable ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Monday

Sunny. 15 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +3 °C, freezing level rising to 2500 m.

Tuesday

Sun and cloud. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +3 °C, freezing level 2500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.