Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Apr 24 – 25, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Start early and time your exposure to be out of serious avalanche terrain during the hottest parts of the day.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Large cornices hang over many ridges and are most likley to collapse naturally during the warmest parts of the day or from human-triggering.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Wet loose avalanche activity is expected to increase under strong sunshine and high freezing levels. The greatest hazard will be on steep slopes where the snowpack has gone isothermal and wet sluffs may gouge deeply.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday and Wednesday, large cornices were triggered using explosives near Whistler. A natural cornice fall was also observed. None of these incidents triggered a slab below.

The likelihood of wet loose avalanches and cornice falls is expected to increase with the forecast of strong sun, high freezing levels, and a limited overnight refreeze.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is generally strong, with a typical spring diurnal pattern: daytime warming melts and softens the upper snowpack, then overnight cooling usually forms a hard crust at higher elevations. Lower elevations likely will not refreeze, and are experiencing an all-melt, no freeze scenario, and are melting out quickly. Isothermal snow conditions exist below 1500 m.

Dormant weak layers may still exist in isolated alpine terrain, but likely require a very heavy trigger, such as a cornice fall. It's a good idea to keep this on your radar with forecast freezing levels to 2700 m, strong sun, and a limited overnight refreeze.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Clear. 25 to 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Friday

Mostly sunny. 5 to 10 km/h variable ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Saturday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Start your day early and be out of avalanche terrain during the heat of the day.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Regions covered