North Columbia

Snow is forecast above 1500 m on Wednesday. Expect to find variable snow conditions with aspect and elevation. Continue applying added caution in steep, north-facing terrain in the alpine.

High -

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, light southwest wind, alpine temperature -1 C, freezing level 2000 m.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, light to moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level 1500 m.THURSDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, light southwest wind, alpine temperature -2 C, freezing level 1900 m.FRIDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, light south wind, alpine temperature -1 C, freezing level 2000 m.

On Monday, a small (size 1) wind slab was triggered by a skier on a north aspect in alpine terrain. The slab was 20 cm deep and about 10 m wide. Otherwise, no other avalanches were observed.

Around 5 cm of new snow is expected at treeline and alpine elevations on Wednesday, which will otherwise fall as rain at lower elevations. This will fall onto a hard melt-freeze crust on all aspects and elevations except for north slopes above 2000 m, where it will fall onto 10 to 30 cm of dry snow and isolated wind slabs. North slopes above 2000 m may also have a layer of sugary faceted snow buried 50 to 70 cm. Snow is disappearing rapidly at lower elevations.