Interim Report Thursday 08 January.
The warming and precipitation of Tuesday and Wednesday has had dramatically varying effect in the island mountains. Whereas the west coast of the island received more than 100mm or rain or water equivalent snow, the east cost has seen less than 10mm in places. Freezing levels certainly shot up over the tops of the island mountains everywhere at some point over the last days but in many places (especially the further east you head) this would have been more short lived.
There has certainly been a widespread avalanche cycle acrross the island mountains. Up to size 2 has been reported on the east coast and though we do not have reports from the western part of the mountains with the quantity of precipiation that fell it is a cerainty that there were avalanches.
It is likely that with the massive precipitation amounts seen on the west coast the deep instabilities in the snow pack there will have caused widespread avalanching and as such may have made things considerably safer on that side. Be aware however that in places where the rain turned quickly to snow again it is possible that new snow has been reloaded on that deep instability.
As one moves east in the island mountains there can be less certainty about what has happened to the deeper instabilities in the snow pack. With very little precipitation and freeezing levels staying lower on the east coast these deeper layers may well be in tact.
A forecaster will be heading into the field today to try to ascertain a little more about what has happened in the island snow pack particularly in the high alpine on the more easterly peaks. A new bulletin will follow on Friday. In the meantime it would be prudent to continue to treat the avalanche danger as considerable at all elevations. If any of our readers out there have current information from anywhere in the island mountains, with this great variability it could be quite useful. Send your info to info@islandalpineguides.com.
PARTY FOR THE BULLETIN! Don’t miss the Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin Fund Raising Party 24 January, 2009 at the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland. Two great bands, prizes, silent auction items and beer from our friends at Phillp’s Brewing. If you use the bulletin and would like to support it, come on out and party! Call 250 336 2870 or email info@islandalpineguides.com for more info.
Are you traveling in the island back country?
Send our forecasters your observations. We are particularly interested in hearing if you have observed avalanche activity or If you or a member of your party has been involved in an avalanche. Email your observations to the Island Alpine Guides Avalanche Bulletin.
Important Notice: This is a regional forecast and significant variation may exist within the forecast area. The information and danger ratings are intended as a trip planning aid for recreational, backcountry users of avalanche terrain; they are not meant to be used as the sole factor in determining the avalanche danger presented by a specific slope. Always include local weather, snowpack and avalanche observations in your decision to travel in avalanche terrain. Observations and experience may lead to different conclusions from what is reported or recommended. See disclaimer for further details. The technical data used to produce these bulletins is obtained from a variety of sources, including local ski areas and remote weather resources.
January 8th, 2009 | Category: Current Condition
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