Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Feb 24 – 25, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–5
    Strong winds and new snow have created wind slabs ripe for human triggering.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–5
    Storm slabs will continue to form at all elevations with forecast snow. They may be particulary reactive where they exist in combination with buried crusts, facetted snow, and/ or in sheltered areas where buried surface hoar lingers.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Expect snowfalls to taper under northwesterly winds. As winds shift to northeasterly late in the day we could see some convective flurries. Temperatures could reach -9. Sunday & Monday: Expect a clearing trend, with light northerly winds and temperatures reaching -8 in the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

Several size 2 natural and skier triggered avalanches occurred in wind loaded features in the last 24 hrs. Wind slabs continue to build on Northerly aspects and in places they sit on weak facetted surfaces and/or lower density snow. With new snow and strong winds I suspect wind slabs will continue to form, and storm snow instabilities to linger.A Special Avalanche Warning has been issued for the South Coast Inland, and Interior regions. Keep yourself informed by reading the daily updated Avalanche Bulletins, the Special Warnings, and knowing the conditions in your "local" mountains.

Snowpack Summary

An intense storm will likely bring up to 30cm of new snow by Saturday morning accompanied by moderate to strong southerly winds. Expect new deep windslabs on North through East facing terrain at treeline and in the alpine. These new slabs sit on a variety of old, wind modified surfaces. At lower elevations there are crusts in the midpack and protected areas harbour isolated patches of surface hoar. Below this, the lower snowpack is well bonded and strong.

Regions covered