Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Date Issued: Thursday 10 December, 2009

Valid Until: Sunday 13 December, 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 - Field observations are still limited. Weather models disagree somewhat on the amount of snow we might get on the week-end.

Weather:

Colder than seasonal temperatures defined the weather over the past three days with no precipitation and light to moderate winds. Cold northwest flow aloft will continue to give us cooler than seasonal temperatures however a weak upper level disturbance embedded in this northwest flow will give us some flurries on Friday and Saturday. A stronger upper level trough may bring slightly more snow on Sunday. Snow amounts are not likely to reach even 10cm except perhaps on the north and west island. Winds will remain light mostly from the NW.

Snow Pack:

The steep temperature gradient in the upper snow pack continues to do it’s thing with reports of surface hoar in well protected areas and faceting in the upper snow pack especially at our rain crusts. While this has little effect on the snow stability at present we’ll be watching it when we finally get some big dumps on top of it.

Outlook:

Cold northwest flow aloft will continue to give us cooler than seasonal temperatures however a weak upper level disturbance embedded in this northwest flow will give us some flurries on Friday and Saturday. A stronger upper level trough may bring slightly more snow on Sunday. Snow amounts are not likely to reach even 10cm except perhaps on the north and west island. Winds will remain light mostly from the NW.

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.