South Coast

Variable hard surfaces and low danger give way to a lingering wind slab problem in the region's highest elevations.

No recent avalanches have been observed in the North Shore mountains.

A small (size 1) wind slab was triggered by a skier near Powell River on Wednesday (see photo). Because of the weak grains wind slabs have formed over, this type of reactivity is expected to persist.

A surface crust exists to the top of the North Shore mountains. Higher elevations in other parts of the region have widespread wind-affected surfaces and more limited wind slab distribution over the same crust.

Conditions remain rugged at lower elevations.

Saturday night

Cloudy. Southeast alpine wind 10 - 20 km/h, easing. Freezing level falling to 1700 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with flurries bringing a trace of new snow. Southeast alpine winds 10 - 15 km/h. Treeline temperature around -1 °C with freezing level falling to 1200 m.

Monday

Mainly cloudy with isolated alpine flurries, minimal rain below about 1500 m. East alpine wind 5 - 10 km/h, easing. Treeline temperature +2 °C with freezing level reaching 1700 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with isolated flurries. Southwest alpine wind 5 - 10 km/h. Treeline temperature 0 °C with freezing levels around 1400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
• A crust on the surface will help bind the snow together, but may make for tough travel conditions.