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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2025–Mar 27th, 2025

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

Regions

Coquihalla, Manning, Skagit.

Reactive wind slabs may build through the day on north through east aspects at upper elevations.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, a size 3.5 persistent slab avalanche was observed from a north aspect in the alpine. This likely failed last weekend.

New snow and wind on Thursday may build isolated, yet reactive wind slabs at upper elevations on leeward (north though east) facing slopes.

Thank you for sharing your observations to the MIN.

Snowpack Summary

Rain and warming to mountaintop have saturated the upper snowpack on all aspects and elevations, except high north-facing alpine slopes. As freezing levels fall Thursday, a widespread crust will form. New snow accompanied by strong south wind will likely build wind slabs at upper elevations. Expect deeper and more reactive deposits on north and east-facing slopes.

Below 1800 m, the snowpack has shrunk considerably.

A weak layer of facets and surface hoar from February is now 90 to 150 cm deep and a layer of facets and surface hoar from late January is 110 to 190 cm deep. Some recent planar results were reported in the Manning Park area.

Below this, the snowpack is well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with light rain 5 to 10 mm. 15 to 35 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level dropping to 1500 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with some sunny periods and light rain/ snow 5 to 10 mm. 20 gusting to 60 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with 10 to 20 mm falling as snow above 1400 m. 50 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with sunny periods. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

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.