Avalanche forecast

Kootenay Boundary

Mar 17 – 18, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will likely continue to produce very large naturally triggered avalanches.

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Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Cornices are large, looming and will likely trigger very large persistent slab avalanches when they fail.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3.5

    A crust with weak facets overtop is down 80 to 200 cm. Very large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Monday.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Numerous naturally triggered wet loose and persistent slab avalanches up to size 3 (very large) were reported on all aspects and elevations on Saturday.

Very large, natural avalanches are expected to continue to occur on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.

A weak layer of surface hoar is buried 40-60 cm in some areas. A widespread crust with sugary facets above is buried 80-200 cm deep. Both of these layers remain very likely for human triggering.

Cornices have become large and looming, and are more likely to fail during periods of warming.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Clear skies. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Monday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 12 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Regions covered