Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 8th, 2025–Apr 9th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Be aware of overhead hazards, like cornices and large slopes.

Reduce your exposure to avalanche terrain during the heat of the day if the sun is out.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A natural wet slab avalanche was reported in the seton area at 1500 m that was likely triggered over the weekend. The avalanche pulled out all the snow to the ground.

If you do observe an avalanche, please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20 cm of new snow covers variably wind-affected snow in open terrain at upper elevations. A crust is found up to 2000 m and higher on solar slopes.

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. This layer is producing sudden planar results in snow pack tests
Another layer of surface hoar that formed in early March can be found at a depth of 60 to 100 cm.
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

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy with flurries. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with 10 to 30 cm of snow. 40 to 70 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1200 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.
Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
Rocks will heat up with daytime warming and may become trigger points for loose wet avalanches.

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.

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.