Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Warmth remains the main driver of avalanche hazard as we shift into a more spring like pattern. Minimize your exposure to large slopes if the snowpack is becoming moist or wet.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: Broken cloud cover. Freezing level hovering around 1500m. No significant precipitation. Moderate NW winds at all elevations.Thursday: Freezing level starting around 1000m, rising to around 1700m in the afternoon. Light NW/W winds at all elevations. Few clouds in the morning increasing to 80% cloud cover in the afternoon.Friday: Freezing level starting near 1000m, rising to approximately 1700m in the afternoon. Light SW winds at all elevations. No significant precipitation expected.
Avalanche Summary
On Monday warm temps led to a natural wet slab failure. The size 2 avalanche ran on a steep NE facing feature at 2200m.
Snowpack Summary
Monday night brought the best re-freeze in recent memory which probably formed a surface crust. 3 - 10 cm of moist snow lie between this surface crust and the March 24th crust that is up to 20cm thick. Below this crust 15 to 60cm of moist rain soaked snow can be found which all rests on the mid-March crust/facet complex. It looks like we'll be into a more spring like melt-freeze cycle for the forecasting period which should start to tighten up the upper snowpack. The mid and lower snowpack are already strong and well settled.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.