Register
Get forecast notifications
Create an account to receive email notifications when forecasts are published.
Login
Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Mar 24th, 2020–Mar 25th, 2020
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Kootenay Boundary.

Light flurries and wind may form unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to limitations in the field data. Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern with little change expected.

Weather Forecast

Unsettled conditions with light flurries on Wednesday followed by a few days of dry weather. 

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with some isolated flurries, localized accumulations of 2-8 cm, moderate west wind, freezing level drops to valley bottom, alpine temperatures drop to -8 C.

WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1300 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -4 C.

THURSDAY: Sunny with a few clouds in the afternoon, light southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1300 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -4 C.

FRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1500 m in the afternoon, alpine temperatures reach -2 C.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported, but there has been very limited mountain travel and field observations over the past few days. Light flurries could form thin wind slabs that have potential to be reactive above the surface hoar that formed over the past week.

Snowpack Summary

A light dusting of snow sits above a variable mix of crusts, moist snow, and hard old wind slabs. The snow may also sit above some small surface hoar on shaded aspects. There is some uncertainty about how well the new snow will bond to these interfaces. Weak layers in the upper snowpack have trended towards dormancy. The most prominent and widespread layer was buried in late February and is now 40 to 80 cm deep. This layer was most commonly found in open trees and has produced a few isolated avalanches over the past month.

Terrain and Travel

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Avoid terrain traps where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Light flurries and strong southwest wind could form isolated wind slabs at higher elevations.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 1.5