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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 21st, 2023–Mar 22nd, 2023

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

Regions

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Pay attention to changing snow conditions with daytime warming and strong solar effect. Avoid exposing yourself to steep, sunny slopes, glide cracks, and cornices overhead.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Multiple natural loose wet and slab avalanches up to size 2.5, have been reported from the Coquihalla area, generally failing on steep rock slab features at lower elevations.

Over the weekend a number of loose wet avalanches to size 2.5 were observed on east to southwest aspects. As well as a couple of natural cornice failures.

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

On the surface is a widespread melt-freeze crust existing on all aspects below roughly 2000 m and solar aspects at all elevations. The surface snow in northerly-facing alpine terrain remains cold and dry.

The mid and lower snowpack consists of a number of old crusts that continue to be tracked but are not of significant concern for the time being.

Weather Summary

Tuesday night

Clear. Treeline temperatures around 0 C. Light easterly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels 1000 m.

Wednesday

Sunny. Treeline temperatures 0 to +5 C. Light southerly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels 2000 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, with isolated flurries. Treeline temperatures 0 to -5 C. Light southerly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels 1500 m.

Friday

Cloudy, with flurries. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C. Moderate southerly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.