Avalanche Forecast
Regions: North Okanagan, Shuswap, South Okanagan.
Assess steep lines for wind affected snow, reactivity may linger in small pockets.
Sheltered terrain will hold the best riding conditions.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Limited avalanche activity has been reported over the last 3 days. Reactivity may continue in specific wind affected terrain, while the expected size remains small.
Snowpack Summary
Alpine terrain is heavily wind-affected, while sheltered areas have settling snow from recent storms.
A mix of weak layers exist below, with facets, surface hoar, and crusts present. Neighbouring regions have reported avalanches on this layer, but no observations suggest it is an issue in this region. Additionally, mild temperatures may help the snowpack to gain strength.
Treeline snow depths vary from 50-120 cm.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Clearing skies. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing levels drop to 500 m.
Wednesday
Clear start with increasing afternoon cloud. Possible afternoon flurries. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Thursday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow, favouring the north of the region. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C.
Friday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow, favouring the Kelowna area. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Avoid areas near ridgeline that feel "drum like" or hollow.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5