Conservative terrain selection is essential. Avalanches are likely due to continued snow and wind.
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25 to 50 cm of new snow will cause large avalanches on wind-loaded slopes, touchy slabs on steep slopes, and fast-moving loose avalanches.
Many human-triggered avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported on Friday. Some of the slab avalanches were remote-triggered by vehicles or skiers. Size 1 dry loose avalanches were also reported.
Human-triggered avalanches will be likely on Sunday. Natural avalanches could occur in wind-loaded areas.
Ongoing snow and wind will build reactive storm slabs over the weekend. By Sunday afternoon storm totals could reach 35 cm in the Monashees and Purcells and up to 50 cm in the Selkirks.
The new snow will bond poorly to old surfaces, which include melt-freeze crusts on sun-exposed slopes, surface hoar or facets on shaded slopes, and wind-affected snow in exposed terrain.
The upper snowpack may contain one or more buried surface hoar layers from January. While not currently reactive, they could become a problem with the loading from this storm.
The lower snowpack is strong and bonded.
Saturday Night
Cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow, greatest north of Nelson. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Tuesday
Clearing with a chance of flurries. 15 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
