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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 31st, 2023–Apr 1st, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

North Columbia, South Columbia, Blue River, Clearwater, Clemina, Esplanade, Jordan, North Monashee, North Selkirk, Shuswap, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Kokanee, North Okanagan, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

The avalanche danger will increase as the storm snow piles up. Stick to mellow terrain, and avoid travelling under large slopes, especially if you see signs of instability like shooting cracks or fresh avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, north of Revelstoke, a large (size 2), naturally triggered, deep persistent slab avalanche was reported. It occured on a steep, north facing slope in the alpine, below a large cliff face, and it is possible that it was triggered by a cornice fall.

On Wednesday, northwest of Revelstoke, explosive avalanche control triggered a few small cornice and wind slab avalanches on north aspects in the alpine.

Expect natural and human triggered avalanches to be more likely as new storm snow piles up overnight on Friday, and through the day Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

10-25 cm of new snow sits over a thin crust on steep slopes facing the sun right up into the alpine. Moderate southwest wind may be forming deeper deposits of snow on leeward slopes. On high, north-facing terrain, wind slabs may sit over facets and surface hoar.

The mid-snowpack is generally strong but the lower snowpack is a different story. The November facets are still prominent at the base of the snowpack. This layer remains a concern in rocky, shallow, or thin to thick snowpack areas at treeline and above.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy. 2-5 cm of snow expected, up to 15 cm in some areas. Light to moderate southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level around 900 m. Treeline high around -5°C.

Saturday

Cloudy. 5-10 cm of snow expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind, possible periods of moderate in the morning. Freezing level around 1200m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy. 0-2 cm of snow expected. Very light southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level at valley bottom overnight, rising to around 1300m.

Monday

Mostly cloudy. Possible trace of snow expected. Up to 5cm on the far west edge of the forecast area. Freezing level at valley bottom overnight, rising to around 1300m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.
  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
  • Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.