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

Mar 30th, 2022–Mar 31st, 2022

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Evaluate surface conditions throughout the day. 

As the surface crust breaks down and snow becomes wet, avalanches become more likely. Brief periods of strong sunshine and rising temperatures can quickly increase danger. 

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing or intensity of solar radiation and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy with moderate westerly winds. Isolated flurries possible. Freezing levels drop to 1000 m overnight. 

THURSDAY: A mix of sun and cloud, light to moderate westerly winds. Scattered afternoon flurries. Freezing levels peak at 1600 m, alpine highs of 0.

FRIDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with light southwest winds. Freezing levels reach 1800 m. Alpine highs of +3. 

SATURDAY: A mix of sun and cloud. Flurries bring up to 4 cm. Freezing levels reach 1700 m. Alpine high of +1. 

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, recent natural avalanche activity was observed on all aspects to size 3. A size 2 wet slab avalanche was rider triggered on a south facing treeline slope, failing on the crust buried in early March. Explosives also produced large slab avalanches to size 3. 

On Monday, several natural wet avalanches were triggered to size 2, including a cornice fall that triggered a slab avalanche on the slope below. 

Temperatures are forecast to gradually fall over the next few days, and avalanche activity is expected to decrease. 

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack is going through a daily melt-freeze cycle. A crust exists on all aspects to around 2500 m. Warm temperatures and sun may soften or break down the crust during the day and creating moist snow. At very low elevations, the snowpack may be wet and isothermal, depending on overnight freezing levels. 

At 40 to 70 cm below the snow surface, a sun crust exists on solar aspects, and weak surface hoar crystals sit on shaded aspects. This layer was buried in early March. Reports suggest this layer is now bonding well from the recent warmer temperatures. 

The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well bonded.

Terrain and Travel

  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.
  • As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.
  • Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.