Avalanche forecast

Coquihalla

Jan 16 – 17, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low

Highlights

New snow and strong winds might build thin wind slabs in isolated terrain features. Carefully evaluate your line for slabs before you commit to it.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    A few centimeters of new snow and strong winds may build isolated wind slabs over a crust in the alpine. Investigate the bond of new snow to the crust below before committing to your line.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported by Wednesday at 4 pm.

If you are headed into the backcountry please consider making a MIN post with photos and observations from the day. The information is very helpful for forecasters!

Snowpack Summary

A few centimeters of snow covers a melt-freeze crust at all elevations. On shaded northerly slopes in the alpine, you may find 15 cm of dry snow overlying a thin crust.

A substantial crust up to 30 cm thick sits 50 to 90 cm deep, well-bonded to surrounding snow. The mid and lower snowpack is generally well consolidated.

Treeline snow depths range from roughly 150 to 220 cm around the Coquihalla and 100 to 150 cm around Manning Park.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Increasing cloud. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level drops to 900 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with light flurries. 1 to 6 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level at 900 m.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Saturday

Partly cloudy. 10 to 25 km/h northerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
  • A hard crust on the snow surface will help strengthen the snowpack, but may cause tough travel conditions.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Regions covered