Avalanche Forecast
Kootenay Boundary
The new snow will require time to settle in areas that saw more than 25cm of new snow (near Nelson and Kootenay Pass).
Keep a close eye on how the new snow is bonding to the old surface below.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be alert for dry loose sluffs: Pull over from time to time and let it go by on steeper pitches.
- Watch for areas with heavy snow fall accumulations... and be prepared to dial back terrain use.
- Check for how the new snow is bonding to the old surface below.
Avalanche Summary
On Monday we received reports of widespread natural storm slab avalanches to size 1.5 on all aspects in Kootenay Pass. Crowns averaged 10-25cm thickness.
On Friday, cornice control work resulted in triggering a size 2 wind slab below, on an east aspect near 2200m. Slab depth averaged 20cm.
Snowpack Summary
Well that was quite a storm, wasn't it Nelson? The region saw wildly variable amounts of new snow on Monday morning, ranging from 2cm to 48cm near Nelson!!!
The new snow sits on firm crusts on sunny aspects, and all aspects below 1900m. On higher, shady aspects, the new snow may sit on some old wind slabs from last week, or a mix of large surface hoar and surface facets.
Another weak layer buried mid March is down 50 to 120cm and is a crust on solar aspects and surface hoar (to 6mm) on high elevation north.
A few other persistent weak layers are buried in the mid and lower snowpack, but they have gone dormant and are unlikely to resurface until we move into a period with consecutive above-freezing nights.
Weather Forecast
Unsettled weather until the next system arrives on Wednesday. Freezing levels will gradually increase towards the end of the week.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with flurries (3-5 cm) / Light to moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -7 / Freezing level 1200m
WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with flurries (5-10 cm) / Moderate south west wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1000m
THURSDAY: Lingering flurries (5 cm possible) / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -3 / Freezing level 1800m
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Extra caution is advised where heavy snowfall sits on a firm melt-freeze crust... a perfect sliding layer for slab avalanches.