North Columbia

Treat wind affected slopes with great caution, new and reactive wind slabs are likely.

Take extra care anywhere the surface snow feels heavy or dense.

Moderate

• Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Jan 6

• Natural and human triggered avalanches were reported in the region up to size 2.5 on a variety of aspects and elevations.

Jan 5

• A few large (up to size 2) natural and human triggered storm slab avalanches were reported in the region, on east and north aspects at all elevations.

Jan 4

• A few small (up to size 1.5) avalanches were reported in the region on northerly aspects in the alpine and at treeline.

The upper 40 to 60 cm of the snow pack is an accumulation of snow from the last few days. In places this could be resting on some feathery surface hoar crystals.

The snow has been affected by moderate southwesterly wind in open areas at treeline and in the alpine.

The prominent mid-December crust is buried up to 110 cm deep and extends to 2200 m. Triggering the crust is considered unlikely, except with large loads or in thin snowpack areas.

Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. Up to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy. Up to 2 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.
• Start on smaller terrain features and gather information before committing to bigger terrain.