Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Blue River, Cariboos, Clearwater, Clemina, Kakwa, McBride, McGregor, North Monashee, North Rockies, Premier, Quesnel, Renshaw, Robson, Sugarbowl.
Human triggered persistent slab avalanches continue to be reported in the region. Stick to low consequence terrain. Check out our Forecaster's Blog on recent avalanche activity.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Small to large human-triggered avalanches are becoming less common, but continue to be reported throughout the region.
Many of these avalanches have been remotely triggered. This MIN post gives a great description of the type of avalanche activity we have seen over the last week.
Expect this type of avalanche activity to remain possible.
Snowpack Summary
Recent winds have affected snow surfaces in exposed terrain at upper elevations.
40 to 80 cm overlies a layer of surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain, and weak facets, or a hard melt-freeze crust on south and west-facing slopes.
A thick and hard widespread crust that formed in early February is buried about 60 to 120 cm deep. This crust may have a layer of facets above it.
The snowpack below this crust is generally not concerning except in shallow alpine terrain.
Weather Summary
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
Saturday
Couldy with 5 to 15 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.
Sunday
Cloudy with 0 to 10 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Monday
Cloudy with 0 to 3 cm of snow. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Conservative terrain selection is critical, choose only well supported, low consequence lines.
- Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
- Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
- If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
A weak layer of faceted grains above a crust buried 60 to 120 cm deep is a recipe for large, high-consequence avalanches. Remote triggering (from a distance) is an ongoing concern.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1.5 - 3
Wind Slabs
Switching winds have formed wind slabs on all aspects in exposed terrain at treeline and above. These avalanches have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2