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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 9th, 2025–Mar 10th, 2025

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, Moyie, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

New snow and southwest winds will build fresh, touchy wind slabs.

Assess bond of new snow to underlying surfaces, weak layers exist below.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Recent warm weather has caused some cornices to fall. These falls have not triggered any avalanches on the slopes below.

Looking forward: Avalanches on buried weak layers may be difficult to trigger, but if one is triggered, it is likely to be large and destructive.

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack is currently quite variable. New snow falls on a sun crust on solar aspects, and surface hoar or facets in sheltered areas or north aspects. The new snow is being wind redistributed by moderate southwest winds into fresh wind slabs.

Two concerning weak layers are present in the mid snowpack: facets/surface hoar or a crust from mid-February buried 30-70 cm, and facet/surface hoar/crust from late January buried 60-100 cm.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Mainly cloudy, with up to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around 0 °C.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud, with scattered flurries. 10 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Tuesday

Mainly cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow. 10 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C.

Wednesday

Mainly cloudy with up to 8 cm of snow. 10 to 35 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
  • Pay attention to the wind; once it starts to blow, sensitive wind slabs are likely to form.
  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.