Avalanche forecast

South Coast

Feb 20 – 21, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

As precipitation piles up, danger increases with it. With storms this dramatic, it is a great time to avoid avalanche terrain until things calm down.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Increased load on the January drought layer may cause it to become active again. Small storm avalanches may step down to this layer.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2

    The recent storm snow is not bonding well to the underlying weak layers. This problem is most prevelant at treeline and above in wind loaded features.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Warming temperatures combined with precipitation will increase likelihood of wet loose avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Numerous size 1 skier triggered storm and wind slab avalanches were reported over the weekend, including in the Powell River area.

These avalanches were typically at treeline or above on north and east aspects. Reports indicate that the recent storm snow is not bonding well to the underlying weak layers as these avalanches were easy to trigger.

Snowpack Summary

New snow falls on 15 to 25 cm of snow from the weekend, which fell with southerly wind, forming deeper slabs on northerly aspects. In sheltered terrain this new snow may overlie soft, faceted snow or surface hoar. In exposed terrain it will overlie a sun crust or wind-affected snow.

At lower elevations a new crust likely exists below the storm snow.

A late-January weak layer (hard crust, facets, or surface hoar) is buried 80 to 120 cm deep, this layer could become reactive the more the precipitation adds load on it.

The lower snowpack is strong and bonded.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with 20 to 50 mm of mixed precipitation. 25 to 40 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1300 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 mm of mixed precipitation. 15 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1200 m.

Friday

Cloudy with 20 to 50 mm of mixed precipitation. 40 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1500 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with 50 to 100 mm of mixed precipitation. 40 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 2000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

Regions covered