Avalanche Forecast
Kootenay Boundary
Hunting for sheltered dry snow will likely lead you to the areas where avalanche danger remains a concern. Stick to supported slopes to minimize your exposure.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
- Be careful around wind loaded pockets near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Be increasingly cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Summary
Several more loose wet avalanches were reported on Tuesday. Explosives control in the Kootenay Pass area produced eight results from size 2-2.5. Another natural size 2 was noted for releasing two hours after the sun had left the slope.
Avalanche activity through the end of the weekend into Monday focused on a natural solar induced loose wet avalanche cycle on south and west aspects in the alpine an treeline to size 2. On Friday reports indicate numerous size 2-2.5 natural and explosive controlled storm snow avalanches running on all aspects in the alpine and at tree line. There were also several skier triggered storm slab avalanche size 1.5-2 both Friday and Saturday on north aspects in the alpine and tree line.
Snowpack Summary
A mix of light rain and scattered flurries brought about 5 cm of new snow to the region on Wednesday. Where it arrived as snow, this precipitation has buried a variable surface of crust and moist snow.
Last week's snow has settled and been redistributed by predominantly west and southwest wind on upper shady aspects or has become moist or wet and/or refrozen (depending on the time of day) on slopes facing the sun. On sheltered north aspects it may be sitting on a layer of surface hoar.
A mix of weak layers exist 50-100 cm below the surface, including small surface hoar on shady aspects and a crust on solar aspects. These layers are expected to have gained strength from recent cycles of warming and cooling. Like other deeper weak layers that formed in January and December, they are considered dormant at this time. They include several surface hoar and facet layers 1 to 2 m below the surface and a crust/ facet interface near the base of the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light northwest winds. Freezing level to 1500 metres with alpine high temperatures of -2.
Friday: Mainly cloudy with flurries beginning in the evening. Light north winds. Freezing level to 1700 metres with alpine high temperatures around -1.
Saturday: Cloudy with flurries bringing a possible 5 cm of new snow. Light east winds. Freezing level to 1400 metres with alpine high temperatures of -3.
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Wind loaded pockets of new snow on sheltered north aspects remain a concern for Thursday. Both old and new slabs that formed on these aspects may overlie weak layers of surface hoar.