South Coast

Take an assessment mindset with you as you head up to check on the aftermath of the storm. Surface snow may still be saturated enough to produce a wet loose avalanche.

Recent explosive control produced small storm slab avalanches on the North shore. Wet loose avalanche activity should peak during the deluge Saturday afternoon and diminish rapidly as surface crust forms.

By Saturday night, heavy rain should have soaked the snowpack at all elevations. A crust will begin to form immediately after, gradually capping the snowpack.

The saturated upper snowpack may still produce wet loose avalanches with a trigger in steep terrain before the crust forms up and free water drains away.

A late-January weak layer (hard crust, facets, or surface hoar) is buried 80 to 120 cm deep, this layer should be entombed beneath a firm crust soon.

The lower snowpack is strong and bonded.

Saturday night

Cloudy with 10 - 30 mm of mixed precipitation, mostly rain. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing. Freezing level falling to 1500 m.

Sunday

Partly cloudy with wet flurries beginning in late afternoon, minimal accumulations. 15 - 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind shifting southeast. Freezing level 1500 - 1700 m.

Monday

Clearing in the midday after 10 - 20 cm accumulation overnight and early morning. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to 1200 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with wet snowfall bringing 10 - 30 cm of new snow. 40 - 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1200 - 1400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
• Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
• Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.