Avalanche Forecast
South Columbia
Seek the shade for the best riding and least sun-baked snow.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Wet
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.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Wind slabs may be lurking behind ridges and ribs.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Choose well supported terrain without convexities.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday, 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. Small wind slabs have been reactive to skier traffic on steep convex rolls over the past few days.
Snowpack Summary
Intense warming will melt and weaken upper snowpack layers, particularly on steep sunny slopes. Isolated wind slabs may be found behind ridges and ribs. Warming also has the potential to wake up more deeply buried crust layers which formed during November's rainfall. 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
THURSDAY: Sunny with valley cloud. Light wind. Freezing level near 3400 m with a colder air layer in the valleys.
FRIDAY: Sunny with valley cloud. Light wind. Freezing level near 3000 m with a colder air layer in the valleys.
SATURDAY: Sunny with increasing high cloud. Light to moderate south-west winds. Freezing level near 2700 m.
More details can be found on the Mountain Weather Forecast.
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Loose wet avalanches are likely in steep, rocky, sunny terrain. Warming could also wake up more deeply buried weak layers.