Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Expect the recent storm slab to become more reactive as it continues to settle and consolidate.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 2: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Expect the new snow to be become more reactive as it settles into a slab especially in sheltered areas at and below tree line where it may be sitting on a layer of feathery surface hoar crystals.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for whumpfing, shooting cracks, or signs of recent natural avalanches.
- Buried surface hoar may be preserved on open slopes and convex rolls at and below tree line
- Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from the past 2 days include several explosives controlled and natural storm snow avalanches to size 2.5 in the alpine and tree line. There have also been a few reports of skier accidental and remote (triggered from a distance) avalanches to size 1.5 and 2 at and below tree line. This avalanche activity is failing in the recent storm snow. As snow accumulates and settles in the coming days expect to see in human triggered avalanche activity continue even as the latest forecast storm ends.
Snowpack Summary
30-50cm of new snow accumulating over the past 5 days sits on a wide variety of old surfaces including large surface hoar (weak, feather-like crystals), hard crusts formed by sun or wind, and sugary facets. As the snow load builds and slab properties develop, it will be important to monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surfaces. Most concerning would be areas that have seen previous surface hoar development, such as sheltered areas at and below tree line and sheltered northerly aspects in the alpine. Additionally, any steep solar aspects where the surface hoar may be sitting on sun crust should be considered areas where this weak layer may be very likely to trigger.
A crust which was formed by rain in late November is a major feature in the snowpack and is down approximately 50-80cm at tree line elevations. Snowpack tests suggest the snow above is currently bonding well to it.
Snowpack depth decreases rapidly below tree line. Look out for early season hazards such as rocks, stumps, and open creeks.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Periods of snow in the southern portion of the region Tuesday into Wednesday, accumulations 5-10cm / wind light to moderate northwest / alpine temperatures -11
THURSDAY: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries / wind moderate northwest / alpine temperature -9
FRIDAY: Mainly sunny / wind moderate north / alpine temperature -15
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.
Recent west and northwest winds have created wind slabs in the lee of terrain features