Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
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Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution above cliffs and terrain traps where small avalanches may have severe consequences.
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, a Size 2 dry loose avalanche was reported at 2300m on a south east aspect near Rogers Pass.
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.
Snowpack Summary
Daytime warming will melt and weaken upper snowpack layers, particularly on steep sunny slopes. Warming also has the potential to wake up more deeply buried crust layers which formed in November and October. On the whole, these crusts have been showing reasonable bonding in snowpack and slope tests.
Below treeline, the snowpack is shallow--look out for early season hazards like open creeks and tree stumps.
Weather Forecast
We'll see little change in the weather pattern: valley cloud and cool temperatures down low but sunny and warm up high.
SATURDAY: Sunny and warm above the valley cloud. Light wind. Freezing level near 1900 m with a colder air layer in the valleys. Alpine high temperatures near +3.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks. Light to moderate south-west winds. Freezing level near 2500 m.
MONDAY: Sunny and warm above valley cloud. Light wind. Freezing level near 3000 m with a colder air layer in the valleys.
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Loose wet avalanches are likely in steep, rocky, sunny terrain. Warming could also wake up more deeply buried weak layers, creating a surprisingly large avalanche.