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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 31st, 2024–Feb 1st, 2024

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Continue to make conservative terrain choices.

We are slowly transitioning out of a warm, stormy period that introduced rapid change to the snowpack.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday morning, north of Stewart, large (size 2.5) natural wind slab avalanches were reported in alpine terrain.

On Monday, a widespread natural avalanche cycle continued on all aspects and elevations, up to size 3.5. These avalanches occurred during an intense, stormy period of wind, snow and rain.

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack is a mix of wind slabs, moist snow, dry snow, and a frozen crust that exists up to 1800 m.

Around 60-100 cm below the snow surface, a thick crust buried in early January exists up to 1600 m. At higher elevations, this same layer is weak, sugary faceted snow. More weak layers of facets and feathery surface hoar (formed up until mid-January) sit on top of this layer. The recent storm snow/rain and warm temperatures triggered large avalanches on these layers during the height of the storm, but it is expected that they will start to strengthen with calmer, cooler weather.

Below treeline, the majority of the snowpack is rain-soaked and diminishes rapidly to dirt below 500 m.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy. Light rain expected, moderate around Terrace and Kitimat (10-20 mm). Snow above 1250 m. Moderate south or southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline low around 0 °C.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy. Very light rain expected. Freezing level around 1600 m. Moderate south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around 1 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy. 7-15 cm of snow expected to near valley bottom. Moderate to strong southwest ridgetop wind. Temperature dropping rapidly, treeline low around -7 °C.

Saturday

Partly cloudy. No new snow expected. Moderate northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -10 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

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.

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.