Avalanche forecast

Kootenay Boundary

Apr 21 – 22, 2019Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Forecast high freezing levels overnight means the hazard may elevate quickly if the sun comes out on Monday.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    If temperatures remain warm, loose wet avalanches are still possible with strong solar radiation.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    If temperatures remain warm, wet slabs releasing on crust layers are still possible.

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Clear / Light, southwesterly winds / Alpine low 4 C / Freezing level 2400 m.

MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Moderate, southwesterly winds / Alpine high 7 C / Freezing level 2500 m.

TUESDAY: Rain to mountain-tops; 5-10 mm. / Moderate, southwesterly winds / Alpine high 7 C / Freezing level 2500 m.

WEDNESDAY: Sunny / Light, westerly winds / Alpine high 6 C / Freezing level 2400 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday, natural and skier triggered loose wet avalanches to size 1.5 were reported on all aspects at treeline and above.

On Tuesday, a party skiing near Kootenay Pass reported "whumphing" on solar aspects near ridgetops and triggered a size 2 storm slab avalanche sitting on a crust on a north aspect at around 2000 m. See the MIN report HERE.

Snowpack Summary

Rain to mountain-tops Thursday night soaked 20-40 cm of recent snow and initiated a loose wet avalanche cycle at treeline and above on Friday. Below treeline, the snow is isothermal (0 C throughout the snowpack) and disappearing rapidly.

As temperatures cool, we will enter a diurnal cycle during which the hazard will be low in the mornings, if there was a strong overnight freeze, and elevate throughout the day depending on warming and solar radiation. Hazard ratings are for the peak hazard expected during each day.

Regions covered