Avalanche Forecast
Regions: East Island, North Island, South Island, Vancouver Island, West Island.
Another wet and windy system is expected to bring rain to the highest elevations.
Confidence
Low
Avalanche Summary
A widespread avalanche cycle occurred overnight Tuesday into Wednesday with wet slabs reported on north aspects and loose wet avalanches on south aspects. With this good punch to the snowpack, Thursday's weather is not expected to produce such widespread avalanches, but a wet avalanche problem is still possible.
Snowpack Summary
Rain has saturated the snowpack to mountain top. More rain and warm temperatures are forecast through Thursday. Expect to find slushy and wet surfaces and an increasingly saturated snowpack.
Total snow depths at treeline vary from 240 cm near Mt. Washington, to 140 cm near Mt Cain.
Weather Summary
Wednesday night
Increasingly cloudy. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Thursday
Wet flurries and rain, 20 to 50 mm. 50 to 90 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level rising above 2000 m.
Friday
Cloudy with rain showers, 10 to 20 mm. 50 to 80 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.
Saturday
Cloudy with freezing rain. 50 to 80 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level rising to 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
- Watch for rapidly changing conditions during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
- Pay attention to isolated wind affected features in the alpine, as well as cross-loaded features at treeline.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Wet
Expect a wet and windy day. Rain, wet flurries, and high freezing levels can quickly produce a wet avalanche problem.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2