South Coast

Rain and warm temperatures make wet avalanches likely and will weaken looming cornices on ridgelines.

Warm, wet and sticky snow makes for less desirable travel conditions.

We expect avalanche activity to continue with rain-on-snow and warming. No new avalanche reports on Monday.

On Sunday several storm slab avalanches were reported, size 1 and 2. On Saturday at Grouse Mountain, numerous size 2 storm slabs were triggered remotely, up to 50 cm deep.

Thanks for sharing your observations to the MIN.

5 to 15 mm of rain is expected to fall up to 2500 m. This falls on up to 50 cm of recent snow redistributed by southwest winds at upper elevations, and an already moist snowpack at lower elevations.

This overlies up to 1.5 m of previous settling storm snow, which was reportedly well-bonded to an underlying, supportive crust, that is now expected to be 180 to 250 cm deep.

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

Tuesday Night

Clear with some clouds. 15 to 45 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with rain 15 to 20 mm. 15 to 35 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level rises to 3000 m.

Thursday

Rain, 10 to 25 mm falling as snow above 1200 m. 30 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 2 °C.

Friday

Cloudy with 15 to 30 mm, falling as snow above 1200 m. 15 gusting to 60 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 3 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.
• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.