Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Sunday: Mainly sunny with some valley cloud due to a weak temperature inversion. Light variable winds. Alpine high temperatures of -11, slightly cooler at lower elevations.Monday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light west winds. Alpine high temperatures of -13.Tuesday: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing 1-3 cm of new snow, increasing overnight. Alpine high temperatures of -9.

Storm snow and moderate to strong winds have grown cornices and formed widespread wind slabs in the alpine and at treeline elevations.On Wednesday there were reports of numerous natural wind slab and cornice releases up to size 3 triggered by rapid wind-loading. These reports were on predominantly north through east aspects above 1800 m. There were also reports of skier triggered avalanches up to size 2, including a close call north of Kispiox where the 4th skier on the slope triggered a buried wind slab on an east aspect at 1450 m.On Tuesday there were reports from northern parts of the region of loose dry storm snow releases up to size 1.5 in steep terrain as well as a skier triggered storm slab (size 1) on steep, southeast-facing, roll that failed on a buried sun crust.

Moderate to strong outflow winds have been redistributing 50-70 cm of new and recent storm snow in exposed areas. This storm snow has buried old, hard wind slabs and scoured surfaces in exposed areas as well as sun crusts or dry facets in sheltered terrain.A crust/surface hoar layer buried mid-January is now roughly 80-140 cm below the surface, and still has the potential to be triggered from a thin snowpack spot, or with a large trigger like cornice fall.Facets at the base of the snowpack could also possibly be triggered from shallow snowpack areas.