Avalanche Forecast
South Columbia
Another storm will keep the danger elevated on Sunday and Monday. Fresh snow from the past week is capable of producing large avalanches, so a conservative approach to terrain is recommended.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded slopes, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.
- Minimize exposure to steep south-facing slopes
Avalanche Summary
Widespread avalanche activity occurred in the top 30 cm of new snow on Friday. Numerous natural and skier triggered size 1 avalanches were reported, with the most reactive conditions on wind-affected slopes at treeline on north and east aspects.
On Thursday, several size 1 skier triggered storm slab avalanches were reported. They were 30-50 cm thick and occurred on north and east aspects above treeline. One of the slabs subsequently triggered a larger size 2 avalanches that ran on the late-March crust. Some natural size 2-3 storm slabs avalanches were also reported in alpine terrain and a cornice fall on a north aspect in the Selkirks triggered a size 2.5 avalanche on an unidentified 2 m deep weak layer.
Snowpack Summary
Another 10-25 cm of snow on Friday brings the weekly total to 40-80 cm, with amounts tapering with elevation.
The storm snow sits on an interface buried in late-March that consist of crusts below 1900 m and on south aspects, and surface hoar on shaded aspects at higher elevations.
Pockets of surface hoar (buried mid-March) have been reported on shaded aspects at higher elevations and may be found approximately 60-80 cm below the surface.
Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are still being reported by professional observers, but are generally considered dormant.
Weather Forecast
A low pressure system passing through the region on Sunday night will bring snow, but the amounts are fairly uncertain and could be highly variable.
SUNDAY: Flurries intensifying throughout the day with 5-10 cm of snow by the afternoon and then another 10-20 in the evening, light southwest wind, freezing level up to 1200 m, and alpine high temperatures near -6 C.
MONDAY: Snow continues in the morning bringing another 5 cm then easing off in the afternoon, freezing level up to 900 m, and alpine high temperatures near -8 C.
TUESDAY: Mostly cloudy, light wind, freezing level up to 1300 m, and alpine high temperatures near -5 C.
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Storm slabs will remain reactive to human triggering this long weekend. Wind-affected features on north and east aspects are suspect, as are steep south aspects where storm slabs may sit above buried sun crusts.