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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 7th, 2025–Mar 8th, 2025

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

Regions

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Howson.

Enough snow should accumulate by Saturday for our newest weak layer to start showing off. Monitor new snow amounts and reactivity and manage the rising hazard with low-consequence terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Persistent slabs were reactive on the February weak layer early this week, with naturals up to size 3. Activity tapered dramatically by Tuesday.

A skier triggered a small (10 cm thick) wind slab that formed over our latest surface hoar layer on Thursday. Along with a renewed possibility of large persistent slab avalanche activity, it's a glimpse of what we should expect as more new snow accumulates.

Snowpack Summary

By Saturday morning, 20 - 40 cm of new snow should have accumulated over a widespread layer of large surface hoar crystals, which sits on a crust on solar aspects and low elevations. This should produce a reactive or even touchy storm slab problem.

A layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust from mid-February are buried 50–100 cm deep. This layer produced large natural and human-triggered avalanches earlier this week and may be coaxed into action again by forecast snowfall or surface avalanches.

The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated with no concerns at this time.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with easing flurries and up to 5 cm of new snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing. Freezing level to 700 m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with flurries bringing 5 - 10 cm of new snow and new snow totals to 20 - 40 cm, greatest toward the coast, continuing overnight. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperatures -1 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures -2 °C. Freezing level 900 m.

Monday

Cloudy with increasing flurries bringing 5 - 15 cm of new snow, including overnight amounts. 40 - 80 km/h south ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for larger than expected storm slabs due to buried surface hoar.
  • Use small, low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack.
  • Use conservative route selection. Choose simple, low angle terrain with no overhead hazard.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.