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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 24th, 2022–Jan 25th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island.

Sustained warm temperatures and sun are forecast to continue this week. Loose wet avalanches will become increasingly likely as the surface crust breaks down, especially on steep sun exposed slopes.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Weather Forecast

The region now sits under a warm ridge of high pressure which is expected to persist through the week bringing high freezing levels and sun.

Monday night: Clear, light NW wind, freezing levels around 2700 m. 

Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud, light NW wind, freezing level 2500 m. 

Wednesday: Sunny, light NW wind, freezing level 2700 m.

Thursday: Sunny, SW wind building to strong, freezing level 2700 m.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity.

Observations remain limited. If you head out into the mountains, please share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

MIN reports from Saturday (1, 2, 3) describe hard conditions despite warm temperatures and sun. Perhaps by Tuesday we'll see some softening of the thick surface crust that reaches all the way to mountain top. Below this crust, snow is moist down 30-50 cm and several old crusts are now breaking down. The middle and base of the snowpack are well settled and strong, consisting of well bonded snow and various hard melt-freeze crusts. The snowpack has been receding to marginal levels below treeline.

Terrain and Travel

  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.

Problems

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.