Avalanche Forecast

Moderate

• Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain.
• Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

A small natural slab cycle was observed on Sunday from wind-loaded northerly slopes in the Selkirks.

Sluffing was noted throughout the region on steep, sheltered slopes where snow had not been affected by the wind.

This weekend, operations conducted explosive control work, producing storm/wind slabs (size 1.5-2.5) on northerly facing alpine slopes. One large slab (size 3.5) stepped down to the November crust on an alpine southeast aspect in the West Purcells on Friday.

75 to 110 cm of recent snow overlies a prominent hard crust formed in mid-December that extends up to 2300 m. Continued wind has redistributed the storm snow in exposed terrain at treeline and in the alpine.

Where the crust is thick and supportive, it effectively caps a few mid-snowpack instabilities, making them difficult to trigger. These layers, now over 150 cm deep, may still be a concern in the high alpine where the crust is thin or nonexistent.

Snowpack depth is around 230 cm at treeline, tapering with elevation below 1500 m.

Monday Night
Cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Don't let the desire for deep powder pull you into high consequence terrain.
• Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.
• Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.