Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 6th, 2025–Apr 7th, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

North Columbia, South Columbia, Esplanade, Jordan, North Monashee, North Selkirk, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

Warm temps continue, allow time for the upper snowpack to gain strength before planning to venture into challenging or complex terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday, numerous and widespread reports of wet loose avalanches on all but north aspect terrain have been submitted. These avalanche have been mostly small (size 1) with a few large to very large (size 2 to 2.5).

Large natural cornice failures continue to be reported and are a prime suspect for triggering large persistent slab avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

On the surface, up to 30 cm of recent snow exists on northerly aspects in the alpine and due to warm temperatures and elevated freezing levels is settling and becoming moist. Solar aspects and lower elevations on all aspects will present as moist snow.

Below this, a 5 to 25 cm variable strength crust from the late March rain event is present. This is capping a moist upper snowpack.

The primary weak layer of concern was buried in early March consisting of surface hoar, facets, and a crust is now 80 to 150 cm deep.

Deeper weak layers from February and January are buried 150 to 200 cm deep.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy with light rain or snow 1 to 5 cm. 20 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6 °C. Freezing level falling to 2200 m.

Monday

Cloudy with snow and rain 10 to 20 cm . 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m rising to 1800 m .

Tuesday

Cloudy with snow and rain 1 to 5 cm. 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m rising to 1800 m.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.
Avalanche danger will rapidly increase if snow switches to rain.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.