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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 11th, 2023–Jan 12th, 2023

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

Regions

South Coast, North Shore, Sasquatch, Sky Pilot, Tetrahedron.

Dangerous avalanche conditions will develop with the ongoing storm.

Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy rain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported this weekend with limited travel and visibility in the mountains. Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network. It helps strengthen our data gathering.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 mm of recent moist snow is found at upper treeline and above, siting on melt-freeze crust down upper 1200 m. The upper snowpack consists of moist snow overlying a few decomposing crusts formed early January and late December. Below treeline, the snowpack is saturated.

Weather Summary

A strong frontal system will lead a stalled atmospheric river over Coast Mountains through Friday night, bringing heavy precipitation and high freezing levels.

Wednesday night

Cloudy, snow 10-15 cm at higher elevations only, moderate southeasterly winds gusting 60 km/h, freezing levels rising to 1800 m, high of +3C at treeline.

Thursday

Stormy, 40-60 mm of rain, strong southeasterly winds gusting 65 km/h, freezing levels around 2000 m, high of +4C at treeline. 50-75 mm overnight.

Friday

Stormy, 30-60 mm of rain, moderate southeasterly winds gusting 65 km/h, freezing levels around 2000 m, high of +4C at treeline.

Saturday

Rain 20-30 mm ending by midday, moderate southwesterly winds gusting 30 km/h, freezing levels dropping to 1500 m, high of -3C at treeline.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

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.