Avalanche danger is expected to increase as snow and rain start overnight and continue into the weekend.
Fresh storm slabs are likely to form in areas that receive the new precipitation as snow. Small storm slabs have the potential to step down to a crust buried deeper in the snowpack.
At lower elevations, rain may destabilize the upper snowpack, creating a loose wet avalanche problem, particularly where rainfall is saturating recent snow that accumulated over the previous week.
The AvCan field team observed small natural wind slab avalanches on Mount Arrowsmith during the peak of Tuesday’s storm. Observations from the Prince of Wales Range on Wednesday suggest these slabs were becoming better bonded.
Moving forward into the weekend, new storm slabs are likely to form at higher elevations where precipitation falls as snow, while rain at lower elevations could create a significant loose wet avalanche problem.
Snow tonight and tomorrow at higher elevations will accumulate atop wind-affected surfaces. Rain is likely around treeline elevations and below.
In sheltered areas, 30 to 50 cm of snow sits on a thick rain crust that formed last weekend. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and dense, with treeline depths averaging 100 to 150 cm.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline, with a chance of higher values along the west coast. 60 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Saturday
Cloudy. 15 to 35 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline, with a chance of higher values along the west coast. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Sunday
Cloudy. 15 to 40 mm of rain at treeline. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
Monday
Cloudy. 30 to 100 mm of rain at treeline. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
