South Columbia

Be on the lookout for lingering wind slabs in the alpine. Avoid likely trigger spots such as shallow, rocky, wind affected areas.

Low - Due to the number of field observations

THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light westerly winds / Freezing level at valley bottom. FRIDAY: Stormy with 5-10 cm snow / Moderate to strong southwesterly winds / Freezing level around 1100 m. SATURDAY: Stormy with 5-10 cm snow / Moderate to strong westerly winds / Freezing level around 900 m.

Explosive control work near revelstoke produced numerous loose snow avalanches up to size 1.5 on Tuesday. Observations in this region remain limited.

Lingering wind slabs may exist in open terrain at treeline and above. There have been reports of small surface hoar forming with spotty distribution. The incoming snow this weekend will be especially reactive where this layer exists. The mid-November crust is now buried 60-120 cm deep. Although reports suggest the overlying snow is well bonded to this crust, this layer may become active as the snow load increases. Below the crust the snowpack is generally well settled. Snowpack depths vary greatly throughout the region with an average of 100-180 cm at treeline elevations with less snow in the southern portion of the region. Early season hazards such as stumps, rocks, and open creeks remain the primary hazards below treeline.