Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Special note to bulletin users:

You will notice that the Monday night bulletin is coming out a day earlier this week. This is because of forecaster availability. You may also have noticed that our schedule of bulletins has been for them to come on Monday nights for Tuesday through Thursday and on Thursday nights for Friday through Sunday with a gap day on Monday. The gap day each week is necessary because our budget allows for only two bulletins per week and there is really no point in trying to forecast out past three days. We are considering shifting our schedule to a Sunday night bulletin for Monday through Wednesday and a Thursday night bulletin for Friday through Sunday which would make Thursday the day for which we do not forecast. Another option we are considering is to go to a bulletin every three days with no gap day. The problem here is that the bulletin would sometimes not cover the entire week-end. We’d appreciate our users feed-back on these options. Please email us at info@islandalpineguides.com with your opinions.

Party for the bulletin!

We are happy to announce the second annual Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin Fund Raising Party. Last year’s event was such a success that we are going to do it all again! Great live music, beer from our friends at Surgenor Brewing and an awesome silent auction are all part of this years event again. The vibe last year in the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland was legendary and all could not wait for this years event. Come on out and have a great time and support your bulletin while you are at it! It all happens on Saturday evening 23 January at the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland. Doors at 8:00PM.

Vancouver Island Avalanche Bulletin

Date Issued: Sunday 27 December, 2009

Valid Until: Wednesday 30 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. Uncertainty about precipitation amounts especially later in the forecast period and limited snow pack data from the alpine.

Weather:

We’ve seen no precipitation and warm temperatures aloft making for spring like conditions in the island mountains over the past few days. With the on shore air now mixing with the cold air our inversion is ending and a series of systems, first a smaller one followed by a more significant storm, will give us new snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Avalanche Activity:

No new activity in the past three days.

Outlook:

A weak disturbance will give a little precipitation to the west coast starting late Monday followed by a more significant storm delivering more snow on Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday: snow starting late in the day on the west coast giving 10cm over night, only a trace on the east coast and none to the north island. Tuesday: 20cm of accumulation on the west coast , less than 10cm on the east coast and a trace on the north island. Wednesday up to 30cm on the west coast, 15cm on the east and a trace for the north island. Winds will reach up to 40-45kph from the SE and freezing levels will be below 1000m on the west coast and below 800m on the east and north island.

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.