Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Intense warming is on the way and it's tricky to predict how it will impact the snow. Make conservative terrain choices and avoid sun exposed slopes.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Choose well supported terrain without convexities.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday, explosive avalanche control in the Monashees produced a few size 1.5 slabs running on the November crust on northwest-facing slopes at treeline. A large size 3 natural avalanche was reported on a steep north-facing alpine face in the Selkirks. The failure layer is unknown, but it was likely an early season crust. Some sluffing from steep sun-exposed slopes was also reported.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is about to experience a big change with a week of warm sunny weather ahead. Intense warming is expected on steep south-facing slopes, while dry snow may persist on north-facing slopes. Snow from last week's storms has been redistributed into fresh wind slabs by northwest winds. Roughly 40-80 cm of recent snow sits above crusts from the warm weather in late November. Most reports suggest the snow is bonding to the crusts so far, but there's potential for this layer to become reactive with the intense warming. Snow depths decrease rapidly below treeline, where the primary hazards are rocks, stumps, and open creeks.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Sunny with valley cloud in the morning, light northwest wind, inversion forming with alpine temperatures reaching -2 C.
THURSDAY: Sunny with valley cloud, light wind, inversion with freezing level up to 3000 m.
FRIDAY: Sunny with valley cloud, light wind, inversion with freezing level up to 2700 m.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- North Columbia URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/north-columbia.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Storm slabs will become touchy as the snow warms up, especially on steep south-facing slopes. Also watch for wind-loaded slopes around ridges and gullies.