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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 3rd, 2025–Apr 4th, 2025

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Northwest Inland, Boundary, Stewart, Kispiox, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Another warm-up brings rising avalanche risk. Read the new forecasters' blog.

Uncertainty is due to how buried persistent weak layers will react to the upcoming warm weather.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, a natural cornice fall pulled a large slab avalanche (size 2.5) on a north alpine slope below.

Continuous wet loose avalanches are being reported (size 1.5 to 2) from steep sunny slopes at all elevations, with some stepping down to deeper instabilities.

Where a thick, supportive surface crust is found, we expect that triggering avalanches on buried weak layers is unlikely.

Snowpack Summary

Variable wind affected snow covers open terrain at upper elevations. A crust is found up to 1800 m and higher on solar slopes. Recent surface hoar up to 10 mm has formed on treeline and alpine features sheltered from the sun and wind.

Three layers of concern currently exist in the upper-mid snowpack. Surface hoar and a crust that formed in mid-March can be found 30 to 70 cm below the snow surface. Below this, another layer of surface hoar that formed in early March can be found at a depth of 60 to 100 cm. Additionally, a layer of facets, surface hoar, and/or a crust from mid-February is buried 120 to 200 cm deep.

The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated, and there are no current concerns.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Mainly clear. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level returning to valley bottom.

Friday

Mix of sun and clouds. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature + 2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. 30 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature + 4°C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of wet snow. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature + 2°C. Freezing level 1800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.

Problems

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.