Avalanche Forecast

Saturday Night: Cloudy with clear periods. Light northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -10.

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -8.

Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -6.

Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate west wind. Alpine high temperatures around -5.

Reports from Wednesday through Friday include several skier and rider triggered as explosives controlled storm slab and wind slab avalanches size 1-1.5.

Over the past week, there have been a handful of notable natural avalanches breaking on more deeply buried weak layers. These were very large (size 3-4) avalanches releasing on slopes above 2200 m in the southeastern part of the region.

20-40 cm of snow from light snowfalls over the week now overlies older wind-affected snow at high elevations as well as a widespread melt-freeze or rain crust with an upper extent that varies from 1900 metres in some areas to mountaintop in others. The depth of new snow diminishes considerably at lower elevations. 

The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled and strong, but contain two deeper weak layers that we have been tracking since the early part of the season. The late December surface hoar layer, buried 100 to 180 cm deep, is now suspected to be dormant and for the most part bridged over by the firm crust mentioned above. 

A facet/crust layer from November exists near the ground in the highest elevations of the region. It remains a limited concern that is likely only able to be triggered with a large load, in high elevation, thin snowpack areas of the Selkirks and the southern half of the region.

• Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.