Northwest Coastal

Avalanche danger is on the rise as new snow accumulates. Take a cautious approach to terrain selection during the storm.

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Wednesday night: Flurries bringing 5-10 cm of new snow. Light southeast winds.Thursday: Cloudy with continuing scattered flurries bringing 1-5 cm of new snow. Light southeast winds. Freezing level to around 600 metres with alpine high temperatures to about -5.Friday: Cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light southeast winds. Freezing level to 500 metres with alpine high temperatures of -5.Saturday: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing 2-5 cm of new snow. Light to moderate southwest winds. Freezing level to 500 metres with alpine high temperatures around -6.

No recent slab avalanches have been reported. Looking forward, slab avalanche potential will be increasing as new snow accumulates.

New storm slabs are developing on the surface as new snow continues to accumulate. The new snow is falling on a mix of old wind slabs and temperature crusts left over from the weekend. Professionals have been monitoring a few layers in the upper snowpack, including crusts and surface hoar layers buried 40-80 cm below the surface. Although these layers have been reactive in recent snowpack tests, they have not produced avalanches lately. The lower snowpack is generally strong, with the exception of areas around Stewart and further north where a basal crust and facets exist.