Avalanche Forecast

Good

Tuesday: Overcast with isolated snowfall. Winds light to moderate west. Freezing Level 1700m.Wednesday: Overcast with flurries. Winds light and variable. Freezing level 1800m.Thursday:  Mix sun and cloud.Winds light to moderate south. Freezing level 2000m.

A natural size 3 cornice triggered avalanche was reported running in the alpine on a north aspect in the central part of the region. The resulting avalanche ran on a steep rocky slope and had a fracture line 3m deep. Another cornice triggered avalanche was reported from the northern part of the region. This was a size 3 on a southeast aspect in the the alpine. The fracture line was 100cm deep running on a suspected crust.

Mainly sunny weather and the freezing level reaching up to 2100m has created moist snow and/or a supportive crust on all aspects and elevations except for high elevation north-facing terrain. This has helped to settle out the past week's storm snow accumulations. Moderate west and northwest winds have redistributed what little dry snow still exists at upper elevations into wind slabs immediately lee of ridge crest.Three persistent weak layers exist in the highly variable snowpack of the Purcells:The mid-March sun crust/surface hoar layer down 50-80cm still has potential for human-triggering in isolated areas. The early-March crust/facet/surface hoar layer down around 80-120cm has become less susceptible to human triggering, but still has the capacity to produce large avalanches.The mid-February crust/facet/surface hoar combo is typically down 60 - 120cm. Direct triggering of this layer has become unlikely, however, cornice fall, a smaller avalanche in motion or prolonged warming may wake this layer up, which would result in very large and destructive avalanches.Weak basal facets exist in many areas, but triggering is unlikely.