Coquihalla

Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Very dangerous avalanche conditions have developed with a combination of heavy precipitation and strong winds.

Low

• Uncertainty is due to how the snowpack will react to the forecast weather.
• Forecast precipitation (either snow or rain) amounts are uncertain.

No new avalanches were reported, but observers in the Zoa area on Saturday were reporting heavy wind transport of snow.

On Thursday, there was a skier-triggered wind slab near Zoa peak (see photos). It was triggered on a convexity and spread far across the slope. The skier was uninjured. Read the full report here.

For Monday the rising freezing levels heavy rain, and strong winds will create dangerous avalanche conditions.

Heavy rainfall is saturating the upper snowpack and loading 30 to 60 cm of recent storm snow. With freezing levels near 2200 m, rain is expected even at upper elevations.

The mid-December crust is 100 to 250 cm deep. This crust is 30 cm thick and well-bonded to the snow above.

Sunday Night
Cloudy. 15 to 80 mm of rain at treeline. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Monday
Cloudy. 15 to 80 mm of rain at treeline. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 20 mm of rain at treeline. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2900 m.

Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
• Avoid areas with overhead hazard.
• Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.