Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Date Issued: Monday, March 16, 2009

Valid Until: Thursday March 19, 2009

Bulletin Area: This bulletin covers the mountainous region of Vancouver Island from the Mt. Cain Ski Area in the North to the Beaufort range to the South including the mountains of Strathcona Provincial Park.

DANGER RATINGS

Confidence:

Fair - exact amounts and timing of precipitation are uncertain.

Primary concerns:

Continued new snow and wind transported snow creating soft and hard slabs as well as weaknesses within the previous and forecast storm snow. Also previously reported weaknesses deeper in the snow pack (surface hoar and facets) may produce avalanches with sufficient load of new snow and or humans.

Weather:

35 to 80cm of accumulated storm snow has been dropped on the island mountains over the past four days. Larger accumulations on the west coast peaks and less on the east. On the eastern side of the island this snow came with winds from the South and South West reaching very strong at times. Winds were considerably lighter on the west coast. The outlook is for continued snow: 15-30cm starting later Tuesday and 10-20cm late Wednesday and Thursday. Winds will again be strong at times. Freezing levels will fluctuate from 500 to 1200 metres.

Travel advisory:

With a short respite from the weather, natural avalanche activity will slow down momentarily on Tuesday but human triggered avalanches remain probable. Renewed loading from new snow and wind starting later Tuesday will bring the avalanche danger back up to high at and above tree line meaning that both natural and human triggered avalanches are likely. Avoid avalanche terrain and stick to simple, low angled terrain. Watch out for overhead hazards and either avoid avalanche run out zones completely or cross them quickly and one at a time while watching from safe spots. Watch precipitation amounts and wind strengths carefully and adjust caution accordingly.

Snowpack:

35 to 80cm of new snow has weaknesses within it and has fallen on a variety of surfaces to which it has not bonded reliably. Faceting at or near the previous snow surface is still a player and has produced reported avalanches. Both hard and soft wind slab is widespread in the alpine and at tree line and will trigger as avalanches with the load of a skier. With increased load the potential still exist for avalanches to “step down” to older, deeper persistent weak layers. 

Avalanche Activity:

Numerous avalanches both natural and human triggered to size 2 have been reported. Most were soft and hard slabs releasing on the interface of storm snow on the old surfaces which in places included surface hoar and surface facets.

Outlook:

The outlook is for continued snow. 15-30cm starting later Tuesday and 10-20cm late Wednesday and Thursday. Winds will again be strong at times. Freezing levels will fluctuate from 500 to 1200 metres.

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 Avalanche Bulletin forecasters at info@islandalpineguides.com

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.