Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 16th, 2019–Apr 17th, 2019

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Be wary of moist snow, the likelihood of triggering loose wet avalanches will increase as temperatures climb into the alpine. Reactive pockets of storm snow may linger around ridges and lee terrain where snow remains dry.

Confidence

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with clear periods and isolated flurries / southwest wind, 25 gusting to 55 km/h / alpine low -2 C / freezing level 1600 m

WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / west wind, 25 gusting to 50 km/h / alpine high +2 C / freezing level 2200 m

THURSDAY: Showers and and wet flurries starting later in the day, 5-15 mm / southwest wind, 30 gusting to 60 km/h / alpine high +6 C / freezing level 2900 m

FRIDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks and scattered wet flurries, 5-10 mm / west wind, 20 gusting to 65 km/h / alpine high -4 C / freezing level 2500 m

Avalanche Summary

On Sunday, several small size 1 wind slabs were reactive to explosives, one size 3 wind slab avalanche was triggered with a very large explosive. Near Whitewater a skier triggered a windslab avalanche on a steep northwest aspect in the alpine. See the MIN report here.

Snowpack Summary

Sun and rising freezing levels are settling the 20-40 cm recent snow on all slopes to 2000 m and sunny slopes in the alpine, dry snow may still be found on high alpine northerly slopes. A warming snowpack will drive avalanche hazard as above 0 C temperatures climb to the high alpine. Below treeline snow is disappearing rapidly.

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.