Bulletin d’avalanche

Vancouver Island

Mar 31 – Apr 1, 2022Avalanche Canada
Voir sur la carte
Archivé · expiré 5 years ago

Danger d’avalanche

Sat
Sun
Alpin
1 · Faible
Limite forestière
1 · Faible
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
Ouvrir la carte complète

Points saillants

A firm, supportive, upper snowpack makes avalanches unlikely. If you see evidence of new snow, watch for isolated pockets of reactive windslab in the alpine. Bring your crampons and ice axes.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–1.5

    5-10 cm of new snow may fall through the day on Friday. This is coming with moderate to strong southwest wind, which could form small, reactive windslabs on hard surfaces in the alpine. 

    • Watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks and recent avalanches.
    • Windslabs can be most reactive when they are fresh, so tune in to loading patterns when you see blowing snow.
    • Use small test slopes to see how windslabs are bonding to the old surface.

Confidence

High - We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Very light snow/rain expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind, ramping up to moderate. Freezing level falls to around 900 m.

FRIDAY: Cloudy. Light to moderate snow/rain expected, 2-5 cm above treeline. Moderate to strong southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level around 1100 m.

SATURDAY: Partly cloudy. Light to moderate snow/rain expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind, trending to strong by the afternoon. Freezing level falling to 700 m overnight rising back to 1100 m through the day.

SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy. Moderate to heavy snow/rain expected. 5-20 cm above treeline, more on the west side of the island. 

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Wednesday or Thursday before 4 pm.

On Tuesday, loose wet avalanche activity tapered off as the temperature dropped, and the sun went behind the clouds.  

If you are getting out in the backcountry, and have photos, conditions, avalanche observations, or even just funny stories to share, consider making a post on the Mountain Information Network.  

Snowpack Summary

A dusting of new snow may cover a melt freeze crust that exists over moist snow to mountain top. The crust may break down as temperatures rise through the day, and on steep, south facing slopes during sunny periods.

At treeline and above, another, thicker crust 10 cm below the snow surface is limiting loose wet avalanches to the near-surface snow. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where even small avalanches may have severe consequences.

Régions couvertes