Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Cool temperatures will keep crusts frozen. There are still some lingering wind slabs on high northerly aspects where the snow remains dry and cold.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for wind loaded pockets near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday there were few reports of skier triggered wind slab avalanches to size 1.5 on northerly aspects in the alpine. There was also a report of natural size 3 cornice failure on a northwest aspect in the alpine that triggered the most recent storm snow. A widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 3.5 occurred over past several days. These avalanches were primarily wet loose avalanches on sunny aspects; however, some did step down to the mid-February layer (with 50-70 cm crowns) on southerly aspects.
Snowpack Summary
Warm temperatures and intense solar radiation over the past several days has resulted in moist or wet snow on sunny aspects that is then freezing to form a crust overnight. Cold dry snow can still be found on high elevation north and east facing slopes. Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5 / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -4 / Freezing level 1400m
FRIDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and scattered flurries / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1500m
SATURDAY: Scattered flurries / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature -6 / Freezing level 1400m
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Wind slabs formed during last week's storm and may remain reactive in isolated locations - their distribution is variable.